From: Ben Goertzel (ben@goertzel.org)
Date: Thu Dec 26 2002 - 06:30:49 MST
Samantha replied to Gordon as follows:
> > I feel like I am very real. While I have not tried myself (though I
> > probably should), Eliezer has asked to be let out and no answer came.
> > This leads me to believe that we are not living in a Friendly
> simulation.
> >
>
> Illogical. Of course you feel real. You are perfectly real in
> the context of the sim. That you are not let out when you ask
> could mean a variety of things, like that you really aren't
> ready to be let out. It is not necessarily a sign of
> "unfriendliness".
To me, a more likely explanation than "you really aren't ready to be let
out" is "whomever/whatever made the sim doesn't care if an individual inside
the sim wants out."
But of course, intuitions about this sort of thing aren't worth much !!!
What's interesting to me about Gordon's claim that "I feel like I am very
real" is WHAT THE HECK IS THE _DEFINITION_ OF REAL YOU'RE USING???
I've thought about it a bit, and the only definitions of "real" I can come
up with are defined by reference to a sim: I.e., basically, this world is
real if there is no other world underlying it (a simulating computer, a
dreaming mind, etc.). Is there a _positive_ definition of "real" that
you're thinking of, Gordon?
My tentative contention is: There is no property that a "real" world would
have, but a simulated world would not -- except the property of not being a
simulated world.
Gordon, can you refute this?
-- Ben G
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