To clarify, what I would like a citation for is the claim that Eliezer “once wrote for” them. Could you link to, or at least cite, what he wrote for them, and when?
This article was adapted from a lecture given by Eliezer Yudkowsky at the 1st Annual Colloquium on the Law of Transhuman Persons on December 10, 2005 at the Space Coast Office of Terasem Movement, Inc. in Melbourne Beach, FL.
As I understand it, for quite a few years Eliezer appeared at various conferences / conventions / colloquia as a paid speaker (though it seems he no longer does that). It seems likely that this is what happened here—Terasem Movement, Inc. paid him to speak at their colloquium, and then (presumably with his permission) posted an adapted version of his lecture on their site.
This may seem like a quibble, but to say that Eliezer “wrote for” this organization implies a rather closer relationship than the scenario I outline.
As far as I can tell, actually, there is no real reason for us (i.e. the Less Wrong commentariat) to care about these Terasem people. They seem to be weird, and rather confused about some things. That is hardly an exclusive crowd. (And “they once paid Eliezer Yudkowsky to speak at their conference” is not an interesting connection.)
I don’t say this to pick on you, by the way; it’s just that I think it’s important for us not to get distracted by analyzing what every group of cranks (or even every group of AI cranks) out there thinks, says, and does.
Well that’s sensible enough, and I can only rebut it, not refute it. My counterargument is basically this:
1. At the speed at which technology is going forward, it seems entirely possible that the opinions of cranks will eventually drive real world actions of some sort, and so engaging with them ahead of those actions might be a good thing.
2. Without airing dirty laundry, it’s impossible to know how prevalent crank-ish ideas are in a community.
That page does not mention Eliezer Yudkowsky.
To clarify, what I would like a citation for is the claim that Eliezer “once wrote for” them. Could you link to, or at least cite, what he wrote for them, and when?
http://www.terasemjournals.org/PCJournal/PC0102/yudkowsky_01a.html
Thanks!
The linked page says:
As I understand it, for quite a few years Eliezer appeared at various conferences / conventions / colloquia as a paid speaker (though it seems he no longer does that). It seems likely that this is what happened here—Terasem Movement, Inc. paid him to speak at their colloquium, and then (presumably with his permission) posted an adapted version of his lecture on their site.
This may seem like a quibble, but to say that Eliezer “wrote for” this organization implies a rather closer relationship than the scenario I outline.
That’s fair. I still think the post is relevant though.
As far as I can tell, actually, there is no real reason for us (i.e. the Less Wrong commentariat) to care about these Terasem people. They seem to be weird, and rather confused about some things. That is hardly an exclusive crowd. (And “they once paid Eliezer Yudkowsky to speak at their conference” is not an interesting connection.)
I don’t say this to pick on you, by the way; it’s just that I think it’s important for us not to get distracted by analyzing what every group of cranks (or even every group of AI cranks) out there thinks, says, and does.
Well that’s sensible enough, and I can only rebut it, not refute it. My counterargument is basically this:
1. At the speed at which technology is going forward, it seems entirely possible that the opinions of cranks will eventually drive real world actions of some sort, and so engaging with them ahead of those actions might be a good thing.
2. Without airing dirty laundry, it’s impossible to know how prevalent crank-ish ideas are in a community.