I agree with your arguments but disagree with your value judgment—why shouldn’t digital entertainment be considered progress? What’s the point of “physical progress” once people’s basic needs are satisfied? If humanity ever becomes a Kardashev III civilization, what would we do with all that matter and energy besides creating digital Disney parks for septillions of immortal souls? What’s your vision for humanity’s future in the best case?
I think you’re asserting something I didn’t say. I said that, first, there are at least some types of digital “progress” that are akin to wireheading, and second, that this was likely a reason that progress in other domains had slowed. I did imply that if we value becoming a Kardashev III civilization, as you suggest, we can’t spend all our lives in digital space—someone needs to build the rockets, do the engineering, and colonize the galaxy. And to the extent that wireheading reduces how much we do those things, it could be a net negative.
I agree with your arguments but disagree with your value judgment—why shouldn’t digital entertainment be considered progress? What’s the point of “physical progress” once people’s basic needs are satisfied? If humanity ever becomes a Kardashev III civilization, what would we do with all that matter and energy besides creating digital Disney parks for septillions of immortal souls? What’s your vision for humanity’s future in the best case?
I think you’re asserting something I didn’t say. I said that, first, there are at least some types of digital “progress” that are akin to wireheading, and second, that this was likely a reason that progress in other domains had slowed. I did imply that if we value becoming a Kardashev III civilization, as you suggest, we can’t spend all our lives in digital space—someone needs to build the rockets, do the engineering, and colonize the galaxy. And to the extent that wireheading reduces how much we do those things, it could be a net negative.