EDIT: if nothing else, I’d like to see the discussion that arises when actually pressed on his theism. ie, I’d like to see someone ask him “I KNOW you know stuff about rationality. I know I don’t need to use metaphors about mapmaking and needing to go out and look, nor do I need to introduce you to the concept if discounting the prior for a hypothesis based on its complexity, and so on, because I expect you actually really know this stuff, and know it well… So… why do you believe what you believe, especially with regards to religion?”
I’d really want to see what Robert Aumann would actually say in response to that...
I’d really want to see what Robert Aumann would actually say in response to that...
I don’t think it would be very interesting. Aumann is obviously so clever that, whatever the elaborate mental constructs he uses to delude himself about religion are, Eliezer will not be able to dislodge them.
Fun or not, it can be valuable to know what those elaborate mental constructs are. For example, even if it’s impossible to dislodge them from Aumann, it may still be possible to develop targeted “vaccine” arguments to help others avoid falling prey to similar constructs.
A more important point is that Aumann is so old that in all likelihood any discussion with him will at best only be able to access his crystallized intelligence, cached thought, without any possibility of biting bullets.
Robert Aumann, if it’s possible to arrange.
that would be an interesting conversation.
EDIT: if nothing else, I’d like to see the discussion that arises when actually pressed on his theism. ie, I’d like to see someone ask him “I KNOW you know stuff about rationality. I know I don’t need to use metaphors about mapmaking and needing to go out and look, nor do I need to introduce you to the concept if discounting the prior for a hypothesis based on its complexity, and so on, because I expect you actually really know this stuff, and know it well… So… why do you believe what you believe, especially with regards to religion?”
I’d really want to see what Robert Aumann would actually say in response to that...
I don’t think it would be very interesting. Aumann is obviously so clever that, whatever the elaborate mental constructs he uses to delude himself about religion are, Eliezer will not be able to dislodge them.
The result will be sophistry. Not fun to watch.
Fun or not, it can be valuable to know what those elaborate mental constructs are. For example, even if it’s impossible to dislodge them from Aumann, it may still be possible to develop targeted “vaccine” arguments to help others avoid falling prey to similar constructs.
A more important point is that Aumann is so old that in all likelihood any discussion with him will at best only be able to access his crystallized intelligence, cached thought, without any possibility of biting bullets.