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Old 07-23-2014   #1
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Most Terrifying Thought Experiment?
http://www.dailypaul.com/322931/roko...nt-of-all-time
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Old 07-23-2014   #2
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Re: Most Terrifying Thought Experiment?
Bestiary Entry: Rokos Basilisk | Carcinisation
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Old 07-23-2014   #3
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Re: Most Terrifying Thought Experiment?
Maybe I'm too obtuse, but I don't see anything terrifying other than masturbatory material for tech nerds.
Anyway, people die...
-Current 93

I am simply an accident. Why take it all so seriously?
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Old 07-23-2014   #4
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Re: Most Terrifying Thought Experiment?
Forbidden Knowledge for free, folks! Come get your forbidden knowledge!
Just remember they don't call it 'forbidden' because it's Good for you. Keep protection on hand at all times and quit before it's too late!!
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Old 07-23-2014   #5
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Re: Most Terrifying Thought Experiment?
I blame this for "Improper Progenitor"...it wasn't my fault!
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Old 07-23-2014   #6
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Re: Most Terrifying Thought Experiment?
...
"Life is but a doomed journey of misery and loneliness, punctuated by moments of suffering, and ending in total annihilation" - Zippy the Pinhead
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Old 07-23-2014   #7
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Re: Most Terrifying Thought Experiment?
I'm not a smart man. I'm not sure I understood the experiment, nor why is it terrifying. In a simplified way, is it basically a variation of the "if you believe in the christian god and he doesn't exist, no problem; but if you don't believe and he does exist, you'll spend the rest of eternity being devoured by worms and burned by fire without being consumed" argument? Meaning that one belief option keeps you safe regardless of what comes to pass in an extremely hypothetical scenario, and the other one doesn't but it's equally hypothetical so you can't be sure if you're making the right choice at all.

Then comes the added layer of "if god exists, he can predict which belief you'll pick and will hold you to it." Which brings me back to all the people that died before christianism moved out of the middle east and who are clearly screwed and in hell at the time: the egyptians, the greeks, the mayas, the incas, etc... I don't know. I'm not sure I follow what this hypothetical basilisk AI represents or what it implies.
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Old 07-23-2014   #8
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Re: Most Terrifying Thought Experiment?
Lucian pigeon-holed the letter solemnly in the receptacle lettered 'Barbarians.' ~ The Hill of Dreams by Arthur Machen

“The wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One or the other of us has to go.” – Oscar Wilde
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Old 07-23-2014   #9
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Re: Most Terrifying Thought Experiment?
Quote Originally Posted by Karnos View Post
Maybe I'm too obtuse, but I don't see anything terrifying other than masturbatory material for tech nerds.
This. Some people evidently have a major horse sense deficit. Although it would be (mildly) interesting to develop the notion as a science fiction story. Oh, wait. Already been done. By Charles Stross among others. Also resembles "The Nighmare Network" in sme respects.
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Old 07-23-2014   #10
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Re: Most Terrifying Thought Experiment?
[quote=Howarth;104053]
Quote Originally Posted by Karnos View Post
... it would be (mildly) interesting to develop the notion as a science fiction story. Oh, wait. Already been done. By Charles Stross among others. Also resembles "The Nighmare Network" in sme respects.
This basilisk tastes a little of Harlan Ellison's I have no mouth and I must scream too, minus all the interesting parts.

That some people (singularitarians!) are freaked the hell out by this is a perfect example of upper middle class first world problems.
Anyway, people die...
-Current 93

I am simply an accident. Why take it all so seriously?
-Emil Cioran
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