Utility Maximizer's guide to replicators, networks, game theory, and civilization
The second-ever post on this blog is about the question of malevolent AI. I will now revisit the question with more detail, having had time to refine my thoughts. I don't think the question of malevolent AI, more broadly, the "AI alignment problem," can be simply dismissed. If my view has changed at all since the last … Continue reading Malevolent Artificial Intelligence (Sam Harris is Wrong, Part 4)
See the image below. Imagine you start at the dot. Your job is to construct roads, in such a way to minimize the time spent traveling. It needs to be possible, starting at the dot, to arrive anywhere at the line. Here is the challenge: how do you construct the roads? If cost is not … Continue reading Tree structures, the last mile problem, fractals, and the inevitability of hierarchy
What does computer science have to say about beauty? I seek to answer that. Have you ever wondered why it is pleasurable to listen to music? Part of it may be the touching lyrics and the charismatic musician, but one can enjoy electronic music with no lyrics and from an unknown artist. Part of it … Continue reading Why is Art Beautiful?
It has occurred to me that, although I am very interested in Computer Science, I do not have many posts on that topic. This post is nothing complicated; it could be read as a one answer for non-programmers: what's so interesting about CS? If you find it interesting, maybe CS is for you. Many times … Continue reading A Brief Journey in Recursion
Next up: Why Now? A Quest in Metaphysics: https://youtu.be/29AgSo6KOtI?t=86 Jaan Tallinn is someone I respect because he created Skype, something once deemed the realm of science fiction, and also because he created the term "Steelmanning". I like this speech because it is a good introduction to large number of topics in philosophy. The speech may be … Continue reading Speech: Jaan Tallinn explains the singularity
We know what we as humans are designed for. Ostensibly, the goal of all life is to survive and reproduce, (or by any other means spread its genetic information). Our intelligence did not evolve as an end in itself. It evolved because it happened to be useful for the above purpose in our environment. You … Continue reading If we design strong AI, it might not take over the world. It might just sit around masturbating.
