This is kind of obvious, since it relies on Pascal’s Wager (the “progenitor” of the Mugging), but it’s interesting to formalize it. (I’m borrowing from Hofstadter’s treatment in Metamagical Themas, IIRC.)
Religions basically follow the pattern of:
If you adopt [this meme], you will receive tremendous benefits in [unobservable time/place]. (The unobservability makes it functionally the same as “low probability” of good outcome.)
In order to truly adopt [this meme], you must convince others to adopt [this meme].
I agree with Yudkowski here… I think that every rationalist, if s/he wants to maximize winning and fun, should convince at least some other people to be rational.
This is trivial for many ‘system’ of thinking when they address global status of the environment, since it’s easy to predict results when the whole world thinks alike. Luckily though rationality can be used in a world which hosts different (and competing!) such systems.
This is kind of obvious, since it relies on Pascal’s Wager (the “progenitor” of the Mugging), but it’s interesting to formalize it. (I’m borrowing from Hofstadter’s treatment in Metamagical Themas, IIRC.)
Religions basically follow the pattern of:
If you adopt [this meme], you will receive tremendous benefits in [unobservable time/place]. (The unobservability makes it functionally the same as “low probability” of good outcome.)
In order to truly adopt [this meme], you must convince others to adopt [this meme].
Pretty nice mind virus, if you can pull it off!
The obvious following step it to design a memetic virus for the spread of rationality.
If you adopt [rationality], you will receive tremendous benefits in [observable time/place].
In order to truly adopt [rationality], you must convince others to adopt [rationality].
It has the advantage of being true… no small feat.
No. Obviously you don’t necessarily have to convince others to adopt it to be truly it.
I agree with Yudkowski here… I think that every rationalist, if s/he wants to maximize winning and fun, should convince at least some other people to be rational.
This is trivial for many ‘system’ of thinking when they address global status of the environment, since it’s easy to predict results when the whole world thinks alike. Luckily though rationality can be used in a world which hosts different (and competing!) such systems.