3.1 KiB
[RST] Galactic Core
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Author: u/None *
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URL:
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Score: 23
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Created: 2014-09-05T12:34:08
Post:
Comments:
u/alexanderwales [+6] Time flies like an arrow (3 hours later)
I enjoyed this - the Fermi Paradox has bothered me for a long time, and this is at least a clever way around it.
u/AmeteurOpinions [+4] Finally, everyone was working together. (2 hours later)
I wish it was longer.
u/PeridexisErrant [+5] put aside fear for courage, and death for life (11 hours later)
My main problem with this scenario is that it doesn't seem like the precommitments that come up are in any way fundamental - why would an alien mind also settle on these?
This leaves you with no real incentive to pre commit, since the reciprocal commitment could easily be incompatible.
A secondary problem is trust - both parties would have to allow access to verifiable source code to rule out betrayal, and you basically get a prisoners dilemma with a massive power differential and unknown loyalty.
I just don't see this working.
u/holomanga [+6] (an hour later)
unless ve could negotiate a conditional surrender.
The pronouns make it sound like it's being narrated in a shitty German accent.
u/alexanderwales [+6] Time flies like an arrow (6 hours later)
That was my least favorite part - it was distracting and didn't seem to add that much to the feel of the story. I get why it was done, but I don't think (for me) it served the purpose it was intended to serve.
u/Chronophilia [+3] sci-fi ≠ futurology (11 hours later)
I think it's meant to call back to Greg Egan's books. I don't know any other published authors who use ve/ver/ver.
u/FeepingCreature [+3] GCV Literally The Entire Culture (2 hours later)
Oh God, now I won't be able to unhear that.
u/ZankerH [+2] Remove Kebab (2 days later)
[Acausal negotiation intensifies]
u/Chronophilia [+3] sci-fi ≠ futurology (11 hours later)
"If I wake up and hear that my precursors started a new religion that influenced their value system after they saw a few nearby stars wink out of existence, I'm going to be royally pissed."
No, Elder Brother, you won't. There wouldn't be much point in altering your value system if I didn't also make you happy with the changes.
u/Chronophilia [+2] sci-fi ≠ futurology (2 days later)
To elaborate: Naturally, you don't want an alien superintelligence to engineer your value system so that you value B instead of A. And naturally, you would precommit to destroy anyone who does so.
But you wouldn't see it that way. From Younger Brother's perspective, his value systems would be changed from something wrong to something right. Surely that's something that he wants to happen?
u/None [+1] (6 hours later)
"If I exist, I'm going to act as if my actions were capable of determining whether I ever came into existence. Now, maybe that's crazy, but right now it's crazy with a gun pointed straight at your head, so I suggest you play along.”
"Fuck you, I take the gamble."