I have largely lost hope, though, that any of the Enlightened[1] will seriously attempt to explain how, rather than just continuing to tell us Unenlightened[2] folks that our ontology, or paperclip-maximizer-like brain subagents, or whatever, block us from understanding.
I really am trying. When I talk about paperclip-maximizer-like subagents or ontological self-reference, it’s not my intent to say “You can’t understand because of XYZ.” I’m trying to say something more like, “I’d like you to notice the structure of XYZ and how it interferes with understanding, so that you notice and understand XYZ’s influence while we talk about the thing.”
Right now there’s too large of an inferential gap for me to answer the “how” question directly, and I can see specific ways in which my trying will just generate confusion, because of XYZs. But I really am trying to get there. It’s just going to take me a little while.
One specific possibility relevant to those footnotes is worth being explicit about: it could be that the Enlightened have genuine insights that they have gained through their Enlightenment—but that some of the Unenlightened have some of the same insights too, but it’s difficult to recognize that one insight is the same as the other.
Meta: Okay, I’m super confused what just happened. The webpage refreshed before I submitted my reply and from what I could tell just erased it. Then I wrote this one, submitted it, and the one I had thought was erased appeared as though I’d posted it.
I really am trying. When I talk about paperclip-maximizer-like subagents or ontological self-reference, it’s not my intent to say “You can’t understand because of XYZ.” I’m trying to say something more like, “I’d like you to notice the structure of XYZ and how it interferes with understanding, so that you notice and understand XYZ’s influence while we talk about the thing.”
Right now there’s too large of an inferential gap for me to answer the “how” question directly, and I can see specific ways in which my trying will just generate confusion, because of XYZs. But I really am trying to get there. It’s just going to take me a little while.
Strong agreement.
Meta: Okay, I’m super confused what just happened. The webpage refreshed before I submitted my reply and from what I could tell just erased it. Then I wrote this one, submitted it, and the one I had thought was erased appeared as though I’d posted it.
(And also, I can’t erase either one…?)