Generative AI behind a possible simulation

[pood]

Well you yourself said "Characters in video games are not conscious any more than characters in novels or comic books," i.e. Non-Player Characters.

Sigh.

So yet again:

Do you really fancy yourself the only conscious entity in a video game full of NPCs? If so, have you sought help for this delusion?

 

[excreationist]

And I don't want eternal life (infinitely longer than a googolplex to the power of a googolplex years).

Also, infinitely longer than two to the power of two days...

My point is that a googolplex to the power of a googolplex years is already a very very very long time and after that you still aren't anywhere near the end. Four days is basically no time so it doesn't make the point as strongly. Though technically you're right.

 

[excreationist]

Well you yourself said "Characters in video games are not conscious any more than characters in novels or comic books," i.e. Non-Player Characters.

Sigh.

So yet again:

Do you really fancy yourself the only conscious entity in a video game full of NPCs? If so, have you sought help for this delusion?

The technical term is "player". Not "the only conscious entity in a video game". My mind is running outside of video games. My mind isn't handled within the game. So say the game was GTA 5. The NPCs are entirely handled by the game. If the player decides to do some things in the game the game isn't making their decisions. The player's brain, which is outside the game, is making those decisions. You might not be capable of understanding these nuances.

 

[bilby]

And I don't want eternal life (infinitely longer than a googolplex to the power of a googolplex years).

Also, infinitely longer than two to the power of two days...

My point is that a googolplex to the power of a googolplex years is already a very very very long time and after that you still aren't anywhere near the end. Four days is basically no time so it doesn't make the point as strongly. Though technically you're right.

My point is that almost everyone here knows that eternity is larger than any finite number of years, and that your example is at best valueless, and most likely counterproductive, in helping anyone who does not know to understand this.

The difference between "four days" and "eternity" is exactly the same as the difference between "a googleplex to the power of a googleplex years" and "eternity".

 

[excreationist]

My point is that a googolplex to the power of a googolplex years is already a very very very long time and after that you still aren't anywhere near the end. Four days is basically no time so it doesn't make the point as strongly. Though technically you're right.

My point is that almost everyone here knows that eternity is larger than any finite number of years, and that your example is at best valueless, and most likely counterproductive, in helping anyone who does not know to understand this.

The difference between "four days" and "eternity" is exactly the same as the difference between "a googleplex to the power of a googleplex years" and "eternity".

This is what was said:

Whatever the case, it's all wishful thinking for eternal life couched in technological terms.

Saying something equivalent to "4 days then forever" doesn't capture the absurdity of an eternity as much as what I said. I was showing exactly how absurd it is when you experience it. BTW a googol means a 1 with 100 zeroes and a googolplex is a 1 with a googol zeroes.
It's like "Amazing Grace"

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we first begun.

Christians might think that 10,000 years is bearable and have that in mind when they're thinking about an eternity.
LLMs can understand my point.
e.g.

Person 1 wasn’t trying to teach set theory.
They were trying to evoke emotional scale—to make the idea of eternity feel overwhelming.
A googolplex^googolplex years is a vivid, intuitive way to say:
“Even unimaginably huge spans of time don’t scratch eternity.”
Person 2 responds as if Person 1 were making a mathematical claim rather than a communicative one.

Also you mispelt "googolplex".

 

[excreationist]

If they eliminated spending on the moon missions what should it be spent on instead exactly?

Housing the homeless, feeding the hungry, battling global warming, putting asshole autocrats in prison. Among other worthwhile endeavors.

Or course, JUST eliminating spending on moon missions would not even come close to acheiveing those aims. What should also be greatly reduced is military spending, and the wealthy all over the world should be heavily taxed to pay for humanitarian programs.

I am not against space exploration, as already indicated. I am for establishing priorities.

You said "The next step, if possible, is to end war and human suffering."

Well Trump is starting a few new wars. And making many of the vulnerable worse off while making billionaries better off. And pardoning many criminals. It seems to change the government's priorities you'd have to be involved in politics somehow. It seems it would be easier to make a difference if you donated money and volunteered with charities. And encouraged other people too.

 

[bilby]

My point is that a googolplex to the power of a googolplex years is already a very very very long time and after that you still aren't anywhere near the end. Four days is basically no time so it doesn't make the point as strongly. Though technically you're right.

My point is that almost everyone here knows that eternity is larger than any finite number of years, and that your example is at best valueless, and most likely counterproductive, in helping anyone who does not know to understand this.

The difference between "four days" and "eternity" is exactly the same as the difference between "a googleplex to the power of a googleplex years" and "eternity".

This is what was said:

Whatever the case, it's all wishful thinking for eternal life couched in technological terms.

Saying something equivalent to "4 days then forever" doesn't capture the absurdity of an eternity as much as what I said.

Mathematically, it does. Exactly.

I was showing exactly how absurd it is when you experience it.

No, you weren't. You may have thought you were, but you were mistaken.

BTW a googol means a 1 with 100 zeroes and a googolplex is a 1 with a googol zeroes.

I know. This is not arcane or secret knowledge.

It's like "Amazing Grace"

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we first begun.

Christians might think that 10,000 years is bearable and have that in mind when they're thinking about an eternity.

Christians think all kinds of nonsensical things. I think we should strive to do rather better than them, don't you?

LLMs can understand my point.

LLMs aren't even the kind of thing that can understand.

e.g.

Person 1 wasn’t trying to teach set theory.
They were trying to evoke emotional scale—to make the idea of eternity feel overwhelming.
A googolplex^googolplex years is a vivid, intuitive way to say:
“Even unimaginably huge spans of time don’t scratch eternity.”
Person 2 responds as if Person 1 were making a mathematical claim rather than a communicative one.

Also you mispelt "googolplex".

And you misspelt "misspelt". So what?

 

[excreationist]

It's like "Amazing Grace"

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we first begun.

Christians might think that 10,000 years is bearable and have that in mind when they're thinking about an eternity.

Christians think all kinds of nonsensical things. I think we should strive to do rather better than them, don't you?

A Christian might be reading this. Or someone that thinks about eternity in a similar way. Not everyone thinks 4 days towards an eternity is identical to a googolplex^googolplex years towards eternity.

LLMs can understand my point.

LLMs aren't even the kind of thing that can understand.

Well they can generate explainations that give the impression they understand.

e.g.

Person 1 wasn’t trying to teach set theory.
They were trying to evoke emotional scale—to make the idea of eternity feel overwhelming.
A googolplex^googolplex years is a vivid, intuitive way to say:
“Even unimaginably huge spans of time don’t scratch eternity.”
Person 2 responds as if Person 1 were making a mathematical claim rather than a communicative one.

Also you mispelt "googolplex".

And you misspelt "misspelt". So what?

I didn't realize that I had misspelt it (though the correct spelling seems wrong to me). Since you knew the definition of a googolplex it seemed that you were familiar with the term. So either you misspelt it on purpose or you didn't know how to spell it but don't consider it an issue at all. Would you agree that misspelling googol is a problem?
BTW I'm glad you pointed out my spelling mistake - it was a case of ignorance rather than a typo.

 

[bilby]

It's like "Amazing Grace"

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we first begun.

Christians might think that 10,000 years is bearable and have that in mind when they're thinking about an eternity.

Christians think all kinds of nonsensical things. I think we should strive to do rather better than them, don't you?

A Christian might be reading this. Or someone that thinks about eternity in a similar way.

Yes. So?

Not everyone thinks 4 days towards an eternity is identical to a googolplex^googolplex years towards eternity.

Indeed, it is commonplace for people to be wrong, and even more commonplace for people to fail to understand the mathematics of infinities.

LLMs can understand my point.

LLMs aren't even the kind of thing that can understand.

Well they can generate explainations that give the impression they understand.

So can the Magic 8 Ball.

e.g.

Person 1 wasn’t trying to teach set theory.
They were trying to evoke emotional scale—to make the idea of eternity feel overwhelming.
A googolplex^googolplex years is a vivid, intuitive way to say:
“Even unimaginably huge spans of time don’t scratch eternity.”
Person 2 responds as if Person 1 were making a mathematical claim rather than a communicative one.

Also you mispelt "googolplex".

And you misspelt "misspelt". So what?

I didn't realize that I had misspelt it (though the correct spelling seems wrong to me). Since you knew the definition of a googolplex it seemed that you were familiar with the term. So either you misspelt it on purpose or you didn't know how to spell it but don't consider it an issue at all. Would you agree that misspelling googol is a problem?
BTW I'm glad you pointed out my spelling mistake - it was a case of ignorance rather than a typo.

You're welcome.

 

[excreationist]

Christians might think that 10,000 years is bearable and have that in mind when they're thinking about an eternity.

Christians think all kinds of nonsensical things. I think we should strive to do rather better than them, don't you?

A Christian might be reading this. Or someone that thinks about eternity in a similar way.

Yes. So?

If what I said applies to a reader then it seems relevant.

Not everyone thinks 4 days towards an eternity is identical to a googolplex^googolplex years towards eternity.

Indeed, it is commonplace for people to be wrong, and even more commonplace for people to fail to understand the mathematics of infinities.

The purpose of what I said was to help explain how long an eternity is to those kinds of people.

LLMs can understand my point.

LLMs aren't even the kind of thing that can understand.

Well they can generate explainations that give the impression they understand.

So can the Magic 8 Ball.

Yeah for restricted yes/no type questions.

I didn't realize that I had misspelt it (though the correct spelling seems wrong to me). Since you knew the definition of a googolplex it seemed that you were familiar with the term. So either you misspelt it on purpose or you didn't know how to spell it but don't consider it an issue at all. Would you agree that misspelling googol is a problem?

BTW I'm glad you pointed out my spelling mistake - it was a case of ignorance rather than a typo.

You're welcome.

Good. But you didn't say whether you misspelt googol on purpose or what...