This reminds me of the Piraha ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirah%C3%A3_people ) who are so well-adapted to the live in the jungle (not only by their knowledge and experience but by their language and culture) that they can’t even grasp the concept of nuisance due to e.g. bugs. For them bugs are such a normal part of live that the can’t even express this. Note that their language lacks abstract concepts but feature rich ways to express concrete experiences and desires. So for them the dust spec/shampoo/bug bite cost is not only zero but even unknowable. And on the other hand the future is of no consequence for them either.
Why do I mention this? Because in a way we (or most of us) are in their position with respect to our knowledge relative to a super intelligence or a very distant future. And because it may be that the cost function is not linear over such wide ranges.Linear cost assumes an unbounded universe—and 3^^^3 is way out of the limit of our universe.
Not to beat on a dead horse, but these facts about the Piraha are not very well established. I’d link to my other comment regarding the Piraha, but currently I’m on my phone. In any case, note that all observation preceding the creation of a grade school for the Piraha was done by the same anthropologist.
My point rests less on the semantic structure of the Piraha language (which may or may not be what Everett says) than on the overall picture of that tribe. I chose it for it being well-known and extreme.
Surely you will not dispute the general statements about that tribe (which has been studied and documented by other teams too). I don’t think those social, cultural and crafts traits could be hidden from Everett for years and years where he lived there with his family. He might exaggerate them though.
This reminds me of the Piraha ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirah%C3%A3_people ) who are so well-adapted to the live in the jungle (not only by their knowledge and experience but by their language and culture) that they can’t even grasp the concept of nuisance due to e.g. bugs. For them bugs are such a normal part of live that the can’t even express this. Note that their language lacks abstract concepts but feature rich ways to express concrete experiences and desires. So for them the dust spec/shampoo/bug bite cost is not only zero but even unknowable. And on the other hand the future is of no consequence for them either.
Why do I mention this? Because in a way we (or most of us) are in their position with respect to our knowledge relative to a super intelligence or a very distant future. And because it may be that the cost function is not linear over such wide ranges.Linear cost assumes an unbounded universe—and 3^^^3 is way out of the limit of our universe.
Not to beat on a dead horse, but these facts about the Piraha are not very well established. I’d link to my other comment regarding the Piraha, but currently I’m on my phone. In any case, note that all observation preceding the creation of a grade school for the Piraha was done by the same anthropologist.
My point rests less on the semantic structure of the Piraha language (which may or may not be what Everett says) than on the overall picture of that tribe. I chose it for it being well-known and extreme.
Surely you will not dispute the general statements about that tribe (which has been studied and documented by other teams too). I don’t think those social, cultural and crafts traits could be hidden from Everett for years and years where he lived there with his family. He might exaggerate them though.
That’s a fair point. You’re right.