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mitthrowaway2 5 hours ago

By that reasoning, why even warn people about anything? Why do road construction crews put up signs saying "ROAD CLOSED AHEAD" when you can just drive on and see for yourself?

kubb 5 hours ago | parent [-]

Indeed, why warn people about real things that exist in the world? That is EXACTLY the same as inciting fear about something imaginary (not even projected).

mitthrowaway2 4 hours ago | parent [-]

In your mind, dangers from AI are imaginary and not even projected, therefore, you don't see any reason to warn about them, because you don't think the dangers are real. You don't believe the road is actually closed up ahead, so you don't think it's necessary to post the sign.

In Scott's mind, dangers from AI are not a known fact, but are somewhere between highly probable and a near-certainty. In his mind, there are well-grounded justifications for believing that AI poses substantial future dangers to the public. Therefore he also believes he should inform people about this, and strives to convince skeptics, so that we might steer clear.

It's easy to understand why someone who believes what you believe about AI would of course not warn people about AI. It's also easy to understand why someone who believes what Scott believes about AI would want to warn people about AI. Your contention is with his confidence for being worried about AI, not his reason for wanting to warn people.

kubb 3 hours ago | parent [-]

Gosh it's quite embarassing to have to spell it out, but you inserted the part about Scott's motivations. It can't be found in the text.

Neither can any specific discussion of what the dangers are and how we can steer clear. It all comes preplanted in your head. The only thing that Scott is playing on (as far as we can see) is your ingrained fear, by using an ominous headline, and a vague reference to something "scary" in the conclusion.

Of course there was no reason to "warn" you, you already believed in the scary future. Scott is just giving you fuel, which you seem to appreciate.

mitthrowaway2 3 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Is this the first essay of Scott's that you've read?

kubb 37 minutes ago | parent [-]

The first and the last. Doesn't come as a surprise that they're regularly added to HN, often multiple times and rarely ever get more than 5 upvotes.

djeastm an hour ago | parent | prev [-]

>as far as we can see

If only there were a way to see more of Scott's thoughts on the subject of AI..

kubb 31 minutes ago | parent [-]

Sorry, there are many better things to read than Scott's thoughts.