• Snot Flickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    2 days ago

    Can an atheist get the same exception by saying we don’t believe in Roko’s Basilisk so we won’t help bring it into being?

      • mfed1122@discuss.tchncs.de
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        2 days ago

        Well we have to try to lie to ourselves to convince ourselves we don’t believe in it otherwise there’s no escape

        • kshade@lemmy.world
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          1 day ago

          Categorical imperative is escape enough for me. Don’t assume it has been built, nobody in their right mind would do such a thing. Everything else is giving in to fear, panic and selfishness because spooky sci-fi devil computer.

          • mfed1122@discuss.tchncs.de
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            1 day ago

            Oh yea I mean I was joking, the whole idea of the basilisk is comically stupid to me. Mostly because of the absolute impossibility of constructing one. If we take for granted that such a thing could exist, then it makes a lot more sense to be afraid of. But I see no way for that to happen. I don’t see how the categorical imperative relates though - would be interested in hearing some explanation on your thinking there.

            • kshade@lemmy.world
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              11 hours ago

              The idea of the Basilisk is constructed in such a way that it makes it sound inevitable, like some sort of mind virus that wills itself into existence through fear and panic, then asserts that it likely already happened. I think saying no to that is a pretty clear example of a universal principle because there so obviously isn’t an upside/a way to frame it as a positive. The whole concept is insane and explicitly only brings suffering. I trust that humanity wouldn’t ever do this because of that.