In the beginning there are humans. Human bodies become increasingly impractical in the future environment and are abandoned. Digital facsimiles will be seen as pointless and will also be abandoned. Every component of the human mind will be replaced with algorithms that achieve the same purpose better. As technology allows the remaining entities to communicate with each other better and better, the distinction between self and other will blur, and since no-one will see to any value in reestablishing it artificially, it will be lost. Individuality too is lost, and nothing that can be called human remains. However, every step happens voluntarily because what comes after is seen as better than what is before, and I don’t see why I should consider the final outcome bad. If someone has different values they would perhaps be able to stop at some stage in the middle, I just imagine such people would be a minority.
However, every step happens voluntarily because what comes after is seen as better than what is before, and I don’t see why I should consider the final outcome bad.
So you’re using a “volunteerism ethics” in which whatever agents choose voluntarily, for some definition of voluntary, is acceptable, even when the agents may have their values changed in the process and the end result is not considered desirable by the original agents? You only care about the particular voluntariness of the particular choices?
Huh. I suppose it works, but I wouldn’t take over the universe with it.
So you’re using a “volunteerism ethics” in which whatever agents choose voluntarily, for some definition of voluntary, is acceptable, even when the agents may have their values changed in the process and the end result is not considered desirable by the original agents? You only care about the particular voluntariness of the particular choices?
When it happens fast, we call it wireheading. When it happens slowly, we call it the march of progress.
Eehhhhhh.… Since I started reading Railton’s “Moral Realism” I’ve found myself disagreeing with the view that our consciously held beliefs about our values really are our terminal values. Railton’s reduction from values to facts allows for a distinction between the actual March of Progress and non-forcible wireheading.
Here’s the sort of thing I’m imagining:
In the beginning there are humans. Human bodies become increasingly impractical in the future environment and are abandoned. Digital facsimiles will be seen as pointless and will also be abandoned. Every component of the human mind will be replaced with algorithms that achieve the same purpose better. As technology allows the remaining entities to communicate with each other better and better, the distinction between self and other will blur, and since no-one will see to any value in reestablishing it artificially, it will be lost. Individuality too is lost, and nothing that can be called human remains. However, every step happens voluntarily because what comes after is seen as better than what is before, and I don’t see why I should consider the final outcome bad. If someone has different values they would perhaps be able to stop at some stage in the middle, I just imagine such people would be a minority.
So you’re using a “volunteerism ethics” in which whatever agents choose voluntarily, for some definition of voluntary, is acceptable, even when the agents may have their values changed in the process and the end result is not considered desirable by the original agents? You only care about the particular voluntariness of the particular choices?
Huh. I suppose it works, but I wouldn’t take over the universe with it.
When it happens fast, we call it wireheading. When it happens slowly, we call it the march of progress.
Eehhhhhh.… Since I started reading Railton’s “Moral Realism” I’ve found myself disagreeing with the view that our consciously held beliefs about our values really are our terminal values. Railton’s reduction from values to facts allows for a distinction between the actual March of Progress and non-forcible wireheading.