re the waterfall: I think "hell yeah but…!!" and feel obligated to validate preferences for "unaltered" things, or for the histories of things independent of their current state. I'd be sad if they munched up the Earth (our home planet) for raw material because it was located at an energy-inefficient part of the galaxy or something.
> "by adding genetically-modified cancer cells resistant to a certain therapy. Then they apply the therapy, leaving only the modified cells and naturally resistant cancer cells. Then the modified cells burst, killing themselves and their neighbors. Feels like nanotechnology out of Stephenson’s Diamond Age. I wonder if other virulence management techniques would be useful in fighting cancer."
Gosh, this is cool. Trickery like this is sorta what I try to use to manage my motivations. Eg, I have a TAP (trigger-action plan) which goes:
WHEN I can predict I will do X (where X can be a bad habit I don't want myself to do)
THEN commit/intend to do X
The idea is that I want all the neuremes (whatever makes up the habit to do X) to be causally downstream of my egosyntonic decision-making circuits. Once all the habit-triggers are dominated by egosyntonic circuits, then I can try to extinguish or limit it (using a tapering schedule or high-effort upfront cost).
Whether it be neuremes (contextually-activated units of selection), genes, viruses, or companies, evolutionary principles hold true as long as you have complex-cohesive things undergoing iterated hereditary selection.
I always admire your curiosity
re the waterfall: I think "hell yeah but…!!" and feel obligated to validate preferences for "unaltered" things, or for the histories of things independent of their current state. I'd be sad if they munched up the Earth (our home planet) for raw material because it was located at an energy-inefficient part of the galaxy or something.
> "by adding genetically-modified cancer cells resistant to a certain therapy. Then they apply the therapy, leaving only the modified cells and naturally resistant cancer cells. Then the modified cells burst, killing themselves and their neighbors. Feels like nanotechnology out of Stephenson’s Diamond Age. I wonder if other virulence management techniques would be useful in fighting cancer."
Gosh, this is cool. Trickery like this is sorta what I try to use to manage my motivations. Eg, I have a TAP (trigger-action plan) which goes:
WHEN I can predict I will do X (where X can be a bad habit I don't want myself to do)
THEN commit/intend to do X
The idea is that I want all the neuremes (whatever makes up the habit to do X) to be causally downstream of my egosyntonic decision-making circuits. Once all the habit-triggers are dominated by egosyntonic circuits, then I can try to extinguish or limit it (using a tapering schedule or high-effort upfront cost).
Whether it be neuremes (contextually-activated units of selection), genes, viruses, or companies, evolutionary principles hold true as long as you have complex-cohesive things undergoing iterated hereditary selection.