All posts related to the concept of boundaries /​ membranes. A quick explanation, as quoted from Andrew Critch in March 2023:

By boundaries, I just mean the approximate causal separation of regions in some kind of physical space (e.g., spacetime) or abstract space (e.g., cyberspace). Here are some examples from my «Boundaries» Sequence:

• a cell membrane (separates the inside of a cell from the outside);

• a person’s skin (separates the inside of their body from the outside);

• a fence around a family’s yard (separates the family’s place of living-together from neighbors and others);

• a digital firewall around a local area network (separates the LAN and its users from the rest of the internet);

• a sustained disassociation of social groups (separates the two groups from each other)

• a national border (separates a state from neighboring states or international waters).

Also, beware:

When I say boundary, I don’t just mean an arbitrary constraint or social norm.

It is for this reason that some of us (including me, @Chipmonk) elect to not use the term “boundaries” alone, but also use the term “membranes”.

For «boundaries»-AI alignment relations, see «Boundaries» and AI safety compilation.

Tag created and maintained by Chipmonk, «Boundaries» enthusiast, in 2023 April.