It strikes me that what many of the messages refer to as "ethical" stances
toward life, the earth, etc., are actually simply extensions of self
interest.
In fact, ethical systems of cooperation are really, on a very simplistic
level, ways of improving the lives of individuals. And this is not true
because of strictures from on high, but for reasons of real-world
self-interest. Thus, the Nash Equilibrium, or the results of the
Tit-for-Tat game experiment, show that an individual life is better in an
environment where players cooperate. Being nice is smart, not just moral.
Other experiments have shown that much hard-wired human and animal behavior
is aimed at enforcing cooperation to punish "cheaters," and that cooperation
has survival value!
I reference here, quickly, Darwin's Blind Spot, by Frank Ryan, which argues
that symbiotic cooperation is a major creative force in evolution and
biodiversity.
Thus, simply giving AGI entities a deep understanding of game theory and the
benefits of cooperative society would have far greater impact on their
ability to interact productively with the human race than hard-wired
instructions to follow the Three Laws that could some day be overwritten.
C. David Noziglia
Object Sciences Corporation
6359 Walker Lane, Alexandria, VA
(703) 253-1095
"What is true and what is not? Only God knows. And, maybe, America."
Dr. Khaled M. Batarfi, Special to Arab
News
"Just because something is obvious doesn't mean it's true."
--- Esmerelda Weatherwax, witch of Lancre
----- Original Message -----
From: "Philip Sutton" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, January 09, 2003 11:09 AM
Subject: [agi] Friendliness toward humans
> In his last message Ben referred in passing to the issue of AGI's "long-
> term Friendliness toward humans".
>
> This brought to mind some of the discussion in December last year
> about training AGIs using simulation games that emulate aspects of the
> natural world.
>
> I think that AGIs need to be not only friendy towards humans but
> towards other life as well (organic or not!). And I also think AGIs need
> to have a good understanding of the the need to protect the life support
> systems for all life.
>
> As we aspire to a greater mind than current humans it's worth looking at
> where human minds tend to be inadequate. I think humans lack an
> inbuilt capacity for complex and long running internal simulations that
> are probably necessary to be able to have a deep understanding of
> ecological or more multifaceted sustainability issues.
>
> I think current humans have the capacity for ethics that are "not
> exclusively anthropocentric" but that we need to boost this ethic in
> actuality in the human community and I think we need to make sure
> that AGIs develop this ethical stance too.
>
> Cheers, Philip
>
> Philip Sutton
> Director, Strategy
> Green Innovations Inc.
> 195 Wingrove Street
> Fairfield (Melbourne) VIC 3078
> AUSTRALIA
>
> Tel & fax: +61 3 9486-4799
> Email: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> http://www.green-innovations.asn.au/
>
> Victorian Registered Association Number: A0026828M
>
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