I agree these are possibilities. However, it seems to me that if you’re going to use improbable good fortune in some areas as evidence for being in a holodeck, it only makes sense to use misfortune (or at least lack of optimization, or below-averageness) in other areas as evidence against it. It doesn’t sit well with me to write off every shortcoming as an intentional contrivance to make the simulation more “real” for you, or to give you additional challenges. Of course, we’re only talking a priori probability here; if, say, Eliezer directly catalyzed the Singularity and found himself historically renowned, the odds would have to go way up.
I agree these are possibilities. However, it seems to me that if you’re going to use improbable good fortune in some areas as evidence for being in a holodeck, it only makes sense to use misfortune (or at least lack of optimization, or below-averageness) in other areas as evidence against it. It doesn’t sit well with me to write off every shortcoming as an intentional contrivance to make the simulation more “real” for you, or to give you additional challenges. Of course, we’re only talking a priori probability here; if, say, Eliezer directly catalyzed the Singularity and found himself historically renowned, the odds would have to go way up.