Not exactly. Because the problem statement says that it simulates “TDT”, if you were to expand the problem statement out into code it would have to contain source code to a complete instantiation of TDT. When the problem statement is run, TDT or TDT-prime can look at that instantiation and compare it to its own source code. TDT will see that they’re the same, but TDT-prime will notice that they are different, and thereby infer that it is not the simulated copy. (Any difference whatsoever is proof of this.)
Consider an alternative problem. Omega flips a coin, and asks you to guess what it was, with a prize if you guess correctly. If the coin was heads, he shows you a piece of paper with TDT’s source code. If the coin was tails, he shows you a piece of paper with your source code, whatever that is.
I’m not sure the part about comparing source code is correct. TDT isn’t supposed to search for exact copies of itself, it’s supposed to search for parts of the world that are logically equivalent to itself.
The key thing is the question as to whether it could have been you that has been simulated. If all you know is that you’re a TDT agent and what Omega simulated is a TDT agent, then it could have been you. Therefore you have to act as if your decision now may either real or simulated. If you know you are not what Omega simulated (for any reason), then you know that you only have to worry about the ‘real’ decision.
Suppose that Omega doesn’t reveal the full source code of the simulated TDT agent, but just reveals enough logical facts about the simulated TDT agent to imply that it uses TDT. Then the “real” TDT Prime agent cannot deduce that it is different.
Yes. I think that as long as there is any chance of you being the simulated agent, then you need to one box. So you one box if Omega tells you ‘I simulated some agent’, and one box if Omega tells you ‘I simulated an agent that uses the same decision procedure as you’, but two box if Omega tells you ‘I simulated an agent that had a different copywrite comment in its source code to the comment in your source code’.
This is just a variant of the ‘detect if I’m in a simulation’ function that others mention. i.e. if Omega gives you access to that information in any way, you can two box. Of course, I’m a bit stuck on what Omega has told the simulation in that case. Has Omega done an infinite regress?
Not exactly. Because the problem statement says that it simulates “TDT”, if you were to expand the problem statement out into code it would have to contain source code to a complete instantiation of TDT. When the problem statement is run, TDT or TDT-prime can look at that instantiation and compare it to its own source code. TDT will see that they’re the same, but TDT-prime will notice that they are different, and thereby infer that it is not the simulated copy. (Any difference whatsoever is proof of this.)
Consider an alternative problem. Omega flips a coin, and asks you to guess what it was, with a prize if you guess correctly. If the coin was heads, he shows you a piece of paper with TDT’s source code. If the coin was tails, he shows you a piece of paper with your source code, whatever that is.
I’m not sure the part about comparing source code is correct. TDT isn’t supposed to search for exact copies of itself, it’s supposed to search for parts of the world that are logically equivalent to itself.
The key thing is the question as to whether it could have been you that has been simulated. If all you know is that you’re a TDT agent and what Omega simulated is a TDT agent, then it could have been you. Therefore you have to act as if your decision now may either real or simulated. If you know you are not what Omega simulated (for any reason), then you know that you only have to worry about the ‘real’ decision.
Suppose that Omega doesn’t reveal the full source code of the simulated TDT agent, but just reveals enough logical facts about the simulated TDT agent to imply that it uses TDT. Then the “real” TDT Prime agent cannot deduce that it is different.
Yes. I think that as long as there is any chance of you being the simulated agent, then you need to one box. So you one box if Omega tells you ‘I simulated some agent’, and one box if Omega tells you ‘I simulated an agent that uses the same decision procedure as you’, but two box if Omega tells you ‘I simulated an agent that had a different copywrite comment in its source code to the comment in your source code’.
This is just a variant of the ‘detect if I’m in a simulation’ function that others mention. i.e. if Omega gives you access to that information in any way, you can two box. Of course, I’m a bit stuck on what Omega has told the simulation in that case. Has Omega done an infinite regress?
That’s an interesting way to look at the problem. Thanks!