Lesswrong UK planning thread

Many people didn't seem to take up the "don't anthropomorphize AI" point, and there were many comments about how a single superintelligent AI would be like a dictator, and wouldn't it be better if everyone had their own superintelligent AI, and if we had lots of different superintelligent AIs, then they'd develop empathy and that would cause them to be moral and thereby solve the FAI problem, etc...

I am thinking of doing a post on this phenomenon, it reminds me of a Borat sketch...

Here's a related suggestion (that's not meant to supersede the original idea):

As the Meetings Secretary for UK Humanity+, I would be interested in organising a UKH+ event (in, for example, February or March) dedicated to potential influence of LW upon H+.

For example, one or more speakers familiar with Less Wrong could lead a seminar on how various ideas discussed over the months on the LW site would improve thinking about futurism and/or transhumanism.

I'm open to suggestions about the exact title, meeting tagline, and format.

Background info follows

For a list of previous UKH+ meetings, see http://extrobritannia.blogspot.com/

Typical UKH+ meeting logistics are

• Meeting happens on a Saturday afternoon
• Lecture/Seminar/Q&A format in a room in Birkbeck College, 2-4pm
• Subset of attendees retires to a nearby pub

I'm sure I can sort out a room at UCL. I'll find out whether it would be free.

UCL is particularly convenient for transport links since Euston and Kings Cross are <10mins walk and Paddington is a short tube ride away.

There are some nice little restaurants and pubs around for food/drink.

A meal after Humanity+ sounds like a great plan to me!

Come to Oxford! Can certainly organise a college room to meet in, and we can do dinner in hall afterwards if anyone's interested.

Oxford is good for me, but London is fine. Anywhere with a whiteboard is going to cost money to book, so take that into account.

As far as I could tell, the multiplicity of AIs thing came from people objecting to hard takeoff scenarios, so that confusion should be soluble, given more time to explain the subject (Roko was packing a massive number of ideas into that talk.)

Humanityplus sounds interesting -- how many of us will be at that anyway?

A question that arises out of dw2's proposal: what is the connection between rationality and futurism? I can think of some possibilities but I don't want to prime people, so I'll put them in a comment in a tick.

I'd come along to a meeting that took place in London centered around Less Wrong/ Overcoming Bias type topics.

To be honest, the more 'strongly' Transhumanist topics don't excite me too much, but I'd love a good conversation about rationality, ethics, the (non)meaning of life, etc...

I agree that a format based on a speaker and then discussion would lend itself to a more on-topic discussion. Alternatively, for some topics more than others, a 'book-club' type approach might work:

We could, for example, all read Mill or Bentham and then one could be designated to MC the event, get conversation going, pop the attendees out of any infinite conversational loops, provide cheesy-poofs, and other duties befitting a group of people who argue on the internet. (Perhaps the one suggesting the next topic/book could then take on the responsibility for the next meeting.)

Thoughts?

(Short-time reader, first time poster)

I'm unlikely to make it to anywhere in the South East, but don't let that put you off. Regarding plan (2), perhaps you could invite some neuroscientists?

Shamelss plug: a few friends and I are going to be getting together in Oxford to discuss transhumanism and related issues. Do join the facebook group if you're interested http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=265828309853

I'd be happy to travel to London on occasion (from Birmingham), but it might be an idea for non-Londoners to volunteer their locations. There may be other places that could support a similar group.

Sounds like a good one, count me in. I work at King's Cross to UCL is ideal. I'd have been at the FAI thing this weekend but for other arrangements.

Warning: Slightly Off-Topic

I think Ciphergoth wanted to talk about consequentialist ethics.

Can anyone suggest a book (or two) that would serve as a good introduction to consequentialism for the non-philosophy major?

I suppose good places to start would be Wikipedia and the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, but let's say I want something longer form yet not too arcane.