V.G., Eliezer was asking a hypothetical question, intended to get at one’s larger intentions, sidestepping lost purposes, etc. As Chris mentioned, substitute wielding a mere outrageous amount of money instead if that makes it any easier for you.
You know, personally I think this strategy of hypothetical questioning for developing the largest deepest meta-ethical insights could be the most important thing a person can do. And it seems necessary to the task of intelligently optimizing anything we’d call moral. I hope Eliezer will post something on this (I suspect he will), though some of his material may touch on it already.
V.G., Eliezer was asking a hypothetical question, intended to get at one’s larger intentions, sidestepping lost purposes, etc. As Chris mentioned, substitute wielding a mere outrageous amount of money instead if that makes it any easier for you.
You know, personally I think this strategy of hypothetical questioning for developing the largest deepest meta-ethical insights could be the most important thing a person can do. And it seems necessary to the task of intelligently optimizing anything we’d call moral. I hope Eliezer will post something on this (I suspect he will), though some of his material may touch on it already.