algekalipso

Karma: 136

algekalipso Jul 31, 2015, 7:48 AM
2 points
in reply to: Curiouskid’s comment on: State-Space of Background Assumptions

doing mind-coalescing and decolescing

That is not enough to solve the problem of other minds, as the article explains. The main problem is that when you incorcoporate a whole brain into your overall brain-mass by connecting to it, you can’t be certain whether the other being was conscious to begin with or whether the effect is a simple result of your massively amplified brain.

That’s why you need a scheme that allows the other being to solve a puzzle while you are disconnected. The puzzle needs to be such that only a conscious intelligence could solve it. And to actually verify that the entity solved it on its own you need to connect again to it and verify while merged that the solution is found there.

Of course you need to make sure that you distract yourself while you are temporarily disconnected, otherwise you may suspect you accidentally solved the phenomenal puzzle on your own.

The solution has a minimum of complexity, and to my knowledge no one else had proposed it before. Derek Parfit, Daniel Kolak, Borges and David Pearce get into some amazing territories that could well lead to a solution of this sort. But they always stay one step short of getting something where the creation of information is a demonstration of another entity actually being conscious.

algekalipso Jul 30, 2015, 5:52 AM
0 points
in reply to: Username’s comment on: State-Space of Background Assumptions
“Consciousness is different than the subject?” This and many other ones are tricky. But I know people who harbor strong opinions about them. In the end, it does not matter vey much that people from all over the place disagree a lot about those questions… that only means they are not really measuring any important latent trait. On the other hand, there are quite a few questions that people disagree on predictably. In other words, they can be used to determine the memetic cluster to which you belong.

Thanks for the heads up. I know of a statistical method to reduce the bias provided by lazy users :)

algekalipso Jul 30, 2015, 5:40 AM
1 point
on: Consciousness doesn’t exist.
I have a solution to the problems of other minds, actually. But it requires you to recognize that you are conscious yourself, which is not necessarily possible for all people.

Check: physicalism.com And: qualiacomputing.com/2015/03/31/a-solution-to-the-problem-of-other-minds/

algekalipso Jul 29, 2015, 6:15 AM
0 points
in reply to: Shmi’s comment on: State-Space of Background Assumptions
I think there are 3 pages.

algekalipso Jul 29, 2015, 1:32 AM
5 points
in reply to: Shmi’s comment on: State-Space of Background Assumptions
The average time people take to complete the survey is 20 minutes, with most people taking 15 and a long tail of people taking up to several hours, presumably because they went on to do something else for a while and returned to complete it later.

Thanks for mentioning the problem with the links. Fixed.

algekalipso Jul 29, 2015, 1:23 AM
1 point
on: The Importance of Sidekicks
This is an awesome, awesome, awesome post! I think you have nailed a few important axis of variance that we usually neglect.

Now, precisely because you are still part of the community and can accept rationalist memes, you are an important sample to learn what the rationalist community is not. At least what it is not necessarily.

Would you, and any other self-identified rationalist sidekick, please fill out this survey?

I am analyzing how personality is related to beliefs about consciousness and memetic affiliations. If only heroes fill out the questionnaire, I may associate traits that are not actually relevant for rationality with rationality.

Personally, I think that the difference you are pointing out ultimately comes down to testosterone, and relatedly, Aspergers.

State-Space of Background Assumptions

algekalipsoJul 29, 2015, 12:22 AM

15 points

23 comments2 min readLW link

algekalipso Jul 28, 2015, 10:01 AM
0 points
on: Aspergers Survey Re-results
I’m currently running a study on personality and consciousness in the transhumanist community. The questionnaire also inquires into the possible effects of Aspergers in memetic affiliations.

Of course, LessWrongers are an important piece of the puzzle. Please help me by answering this survey:

qualiacomputing.com/2015/07/18/state-space-of-background-assumptions/

algekalipso Aug 5, 2014, 6:28 AM
1 point
on: Why the tails come apart
My guess is that there are several variables that are indeed positively correlated throughout the entire range, but are particularly highly correlated at the very top. Why not? I’m pretty sure we can come up with a list.

algekalipso May 22, 2013, 12:14 AM
3 points
on: The flawed Turing test: language, understanding, and partial p-zombies
Did you know that we already have instances of things that pass the Turing test?

And more surprisingly, that we don’t generally consider them conscious?

And the most amazing of all: That they have existed for probably at the very least a hundred thousand years (but possibly much more)?

I am talking about the characters in our dreams

They fool us into thinking that they are conscious! That they are the subjects of their own worlds just as people presumably are when awake.

You can have a very eloquent conversation with a dream character without ever noticing there is any apparent lack of consciousness. You can even ask them about their own consciousness (I have done so).

The riddle to why this is possible involves a very deep state of affairs that we are scarcely aware of in daily life. Namely, that your phenomenal self is, just as well, a dream character.

algekalipso May 22, 2013, 12:12 AM
0 points
on: The flawed Turing test: language, understanding, and partial p-zombies
sorry

algekalipso May 13, 2013, 3:14 AM
3 points
in reply to: [deleted]’s comment on: Belief in Self-Deception
Here: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0046774

algekalipso May 2, 2013, 7:45 AM
1 point
in reply to: [deleted]’s comment on: Belief in Self-Deception
This seems to be associated with higher than average testosteron levels. If you inject testosterone to a random man he will very prone to not lie and be overly straightforward.

algekalipso Apr 5, 2013, 5:59 AM
6 points
0
on: Anybody want to join a Math Club?
If you lack an objective, a good goal is to be able to solve national math Olympiad problems in the time allowed for the competitions.

algekalipso Mar 17, 2013, 9:04 PM
0 points
on: Rational Romantic Relationships, Part 1: Relationship Styles and Attraction Basics
At this rate it might be very rational to look at ways to modify our cognitive architecture and limbic system to experience long term and sustained attraction and love… rather than hack it via external stimuli.

MDMA is promising when it comes to revive intimacy between long term couples. But its neurotoxic profile makes this non-workable for most people. Long term sustainable mood enrichers and love enhancers should be developed… this will be much more life enriching than just rationally learning what relationship style best suits you.

algekalipso Mar 11, 2013, 3:27 AM
0 points
on: Arguments against the Orthogonality Thesis
The crux of the disagreement, I think, is in the way we understand the self-assessment of our experience. If consciousness is epiphenomenal or just a different level of description of a purely physical world, this self-assessment is entirely algorithmic and does not disclose anything real about the intrinsic nature of consciousness.

But consciousness is not epiphenomenal, and a purely computational account fails to bridge the explanatory gap. Somehow conscious experience can evaluate itself directly, which still remains a not well understood and peculiar fact about the universe. In addition, as I see it, this needs to be acknowledged to make more progress in understanding both ethics and the relationship between the physical world and consciousness.

algekalipso Feb 26, 2013, 3:21 AM
1 point
in reply to: JulianMorrison’s comment on: Absolute denial for atheists
No, dude, the correct answer is “because he is a man!”

algekalipso Feb 26, 2013, 3:01 AM
3 points
in reply to: SilasBarta’s comment on: Absolute denial for atheists
I think you are not aware of research in acquired taste. It turns out that the effect of particular foods and drinks on psychological states create some deep subconscious associations. Take this as a clear and striking example:

“A study that investigated the effect of adding caffeine and theobromine (active compounds in chocolate) vs. a placebo to identically-flavored drinks that participants tasted several times, yielded the development of a strong preference for the drink with the compounds.[3]”

I think that’s why I do enjoy beer now, even though I thought exactly as you did several years ago. I thought it was a huge collective rationalization. Which I still think is a big part of it, specially among teenagers and young adults who like to boast about being strong drinkers and how oh-dear they love alcohol so very much. But grown up people do drink, say, one beer alone and seem to enjoy it quite a bit. But without the pleasant relaxation that usually follows, though, the taste would not be agreeable. So we see a deep neurological change in the way we process taste.

algekalipso Dec 20, 2012, 7:14 PM
1 point
in reply to: Jack’s comment on: Not By Empathy Alone
It is my understanding that outrage is the result of ‘selective empathy’ if at all, and VERY often completely lacking in empathy. E.g. When a group of people are outraged to a gay couple for having gay sex. Ok, so where is empathy in this case? Victimless crime evoking huge deontological moral self-righteousness and anger.

algekalipso Jul 14, 2012, 11:39 AM
11 points
in reply to: lessdazed’s comment on: A Bayesian Argument for the Resurrection of Jesus
We know that many zealous followers are willing to die for the honor of their leaders. It would not be very surprising to see that happen in early Christianity.

algekalipso

State-Space of Back­ground As­sump­tions

State-Space of Background Assumptions