TerminalAwareness

"Think clearly" seems a reasonable goodbye.

• CyberChild A Simulation Test-Bed for Consciousness Studies
• Machine consciousness: plausible idea or semantic distortion?
• Searle's AI program
• Designed for Life
• Notes of a biology-watcher: on artificial intelligence

Absolutely; I certainly do have things I'd love to code.

• I rely heavily on a python notes taking program, Zim, which could use some help implementing more features like tables, or an android port.
• Linux could use an extended nutrition, food, and exercise tracking program
• I've toyed with the idea of trying to pull components together under KDE and link food purchases to a pantry tracking program to a nutrition tracking program to a health logging program
• The BIOS on my laptop is broken under Linux in many ways; I've seen and attempted to decompile and repa

As someone who can program well for a beginner ( Linux user, scripts very well; otherwise Python, C, C++ and MATLAB are what I've used), what advantage is there to be gained in learning more? I'd really like to; I'm trying to all the time, but I have no real problems I need to code to solve, or they are simply much too big. Can you suggest some benefits that I'd gain from a moderate skill increase?

I know it's been some time, but I wanted to thank you for the reply. I've thought considerably, and I still feel that I'm right. I'm going to try to explain again.

Sure, we all have our own utility functions. Now, if you're trying to maximize utility for everyone, that's no easy task, and you'll end up with a relatively small amount of utility.

Would you condone someone for forcing someone else to try chocolate, if that person believed it tasted bad, but loved it as soon as they tried it? If someone mentally deranged set themselves on fire and asked you not... (read more)

Well, I am new here, and I suppose it was a slightly presumptive of me to say that. I was just trying to introduce myself with a few of the thoughts I've had while reading here.

To attempt to clarify, I think that this story is rather like the fable of the Dragon-Tyrant. To live a life with even the faintest hint of displeasure is a horrific crime, the thought goes. I am under the impression that most people here operate with some sort of utilitarianist philosophy. This to me seems to imply that unless one declares that there is no objective state for whi... (read more)