This reason is probably made worse by the fact that most of the concern with advanced technologies on LW centers around the possible problems with AI, and that there is a perception among many that if strong AI does arise most details of genetic engineering will almost a sideshow (this seems plausible in the event that hard-takeoff occurs within a short time-span (say prior to 2025)).
I’ve spoken about this in the intro:
In addition for similar reasons (much like Eliezer’s story) this “impossible world” is going to ignore or more accuratley not touch the effects of AI and cybernetic IA. Sans the narrative I am basically making a story to flesh out how the new balance of selective pressures that are likley to exist in the early phases of genetic engineering may look like.
Because I’m curious about what the balance will be even if it persists for such a short time as to have little effect on the overall course of (trans)human evolution.
I wish to see if any new factors, that haven’t been discussed yet or I haven’t thought of yet, will persist in shaping the balance of pressures into the later stages
It seems odd that if people down voted the post on those grounds they haven’t bothered to correct me or comment on the above line of thought.
I see I’ve been unsuccessful in fostering debate on this topic, especially since its implications (potentially) transcend the medium of genes.
But like I stated I mostly wrote this out for rationality checking and to order my thoughts properly. Debate was a secondary goal. Looking again at my list something strikes me as potentially an interesting aspect:
Fisherian runaway seems much more likley for characteristics that send good status signals about us (characteristics that make us appear nice/moral/decent/prestigious/caring people regardless of actual usefulness or perhaps even harm).
Self replicating ems need to worry about the status signalling of creating copies of a certain kind. This becomes very tricking if others have access to the source code.
I’ve spoken about this in the intro:
It seems odd that if people down voted the post on those grounds they haven’t bothered to correct me or comment on the above line of thought.
I see I’ve been unsuccessful in fostering debate on this topic, especially since its implications (potentially) transcend the medium of genes.
But like I stated I mostly wrote this out for rationality checking and to order my thoughts properly. Debate was a secondary goal. Looking again at my list something strikes me as potentially an interesting aspect:
Self replicating ems need to worry about the status signalling of creating copies of a certain kind. This becomes very tricking if others have access to the source code.