Roko’s Basilisk

manjit

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I've noticed that almost all my regular haunts (no pun intended) & link sites are followed by several members here, so it is entirely possible somebody has already posted this here, but I don't think so. Apologies if so.

I found this to be a fascinating piece on a few levels. Not least of which is how humans will create all knowing and all powerful Gods, even in the midst of fundamentalist atheism :)

http://www.slate.com/articles/techn...errifying_thought_experiment_of_all_time.html
 
Thanks Sciborg_S_Patel, I'm over there now :)

PS - On about page 50 of "Trcikster Makes this World", great book!;;/?

PPS - You may be the sort who would enjoy reading Robert Anton Wilson's "The Cosmic Trigger", perhaps check it out.

Cheers.
 
Not sure what to make if this, but its reassuring to know there are other forums as bizarrely moderated as this one ;)
 
I realize I'm eating some crow by posting this, but Rational Wiki actually has a great breakdown of Roko's Basilisk:

Roko's basilisk is a proposition that says an all-powerful artificial intelligence from the future may retroactively punish those who did not assist in bringing about its existence. It resembles a futurist version of Pascal's wager; an argument used to try and suggest people should subscribe to particular singularitarian ideas, or even donate money to them, by weighing up the prospect of punishment versus reward. Furthermore, the proposition says that merely knowing about it incurs the risk of punishment. It is named after the member of the rationalist community LessWrong who most clearly described it (though he did not originate it).
 
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