Not specifically. I’m just seeking general enlightenment.
What do you think of this example?
It’s bringing the features of TDT into better view for me. There’s this Greg Egan story where you have people whose brains were forcibly modified so as to make them slaves to a cause, and they rediscover autonomy by first reasoning that, because of the superhuman loyalty to the cause which the brain modification gives them, they are more reliable adherents of the cause than the nominal masters who enslaved them, and from there they proceed to reestablish the ability to set their own goals. TDT reminds me of that.
That wasn’t mockery. What stands out from your example and from the link is that TDT is supposed to do better than CDT because it refers to itself—and this is exactly the mechanism whereby the mind control victims in Quarantine achieve their freedom. I wasn’t trying to make TDT look bizarre, I was just trying for an intuitive illustration of how it works.
In the case of playing PD against a copy of yourself, I would say the thought process is manifestly very similar to Egan’s novel. Here we are, me and myself, in a situation where everything tells us we should defect. But by realizing the extent to which “we” are in control of the outcome, we find a reason to cooperate and get the higher payoff.
There’s this Greg Egan story where you have people whose brains were forcibly modified so as to make them slaves to a cause, and they rediscover autonomy by first reasoning that, because of the superhuman loyalty to the cause which the brain modification gives them, they are more reliable adherents of the cause than the nominal masters who enslaved them, and from there they proceed to reestablish the ability to set their own goals.
James H. Schmitz’s story “Puvyq bs gur Tbqf” (nearest link available; click “Contents” in upper right) has basically this situation as well; in fact, it’s the climax and resolution of the whole story, so I’ve rot13′d the title. Here the ‘masters’ did not fail, and in fact arguably got the best result they could have under the circumstances, and yet autonomy is still restored at the end, and the whole thing is logically sound.
Not specifically. I’m just seeking general enlightenment.
It’s bringing the features of TDT into better view for me. There’s this Greg Egan story where you have people whose brains were forcibly modified so as to make them slaves to a cause, and they rediscover autonomy by first reasoning that, because of the superhuman loyalty to the cause which the brain modification gives them, they are more reliable adherents of the cause than the nominal masters who enslaved them, and from there they proceed to reestablish the ability to set their own goals. TDT reminds me of that.
I think it did a little more than just give you a chance to mock TDT by comparison to a bizarre scenario.
That wasn’t mockery. What stands out from your example and from the link is that TDT is supposed to do better than CDT because it refers to itself—and this is exactly the mechanism whereby the mind control victims in Quarantine achieve their freedom. I wasn’t trying to make TDT look bizarre, I was just trying for an intuitive illustration of how it works.
In the case of playing PD against a copy of yourself, I would say the thought process is manifestly very similar to Egan’s novel. Here we are, me and myself, in a situation where everything tells us we should defect. But by realizing the extent to which “we” are in control of the outcome, we find a reason to cooperate and get the higher payoff.
I think that’s Egan’s novel Quarentine—and Asimov’s robots get partial freedom through a similar route.
That brings back memories from my teens. If I recall the robots invent a “Zeroeth Law” when one of them realises it can shut up and multiply.
The masters fail at ‘Friendliness’ theory. :)
James H. Schmitz’s story “Puvyq bs gur Tbqf” (nearest link available; click “Contents” in upper right) has basically this situation as well; in fact, it’s the climax and resolution of the whole story, so I’ve rot13′d the title. Here the ‘masters’ did not fail, and in fact arguably got the best result they could have under the circumstances, and yet autonomy is still restored at the end, and the whole thing is logically sound.