Aleksei Riikonen wrote:
On 5/28/07, Richard Loosemore <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
That said, your statement does probably "summarize Yudkowsky's writings"
quite well. But why are you even trying to summarize the writings of a
raving narcissist who does not have any qualifications in the AI field?
Someone who explodes into titanic outbursts of uncontrollable,
embarrassing rage when someone with real knowledge of this area dares to
disagree with him?
If I were you, what I'd be embarrassed of would be the flaming
personal attacks you make.
Be precise here, please, Aleksei: you say that I make flaming personal
attacks.... plural. Your implication is that I have made unprovoked
attacks on people, many times.
I have made "attacks" on a few people, but if you look at any examples
you can find, you will notice that I have *only* responsed when severely
provoked. If you believe that this is not true, then please provide
evidence, and if you cannot provide evidence, I would dearly like it if
you would withdraw the accusation above. You can contact me privately
to track down the evidence if you like: I am prepared to put the time
into looking at each case with you.
Responding to provocation is *not* the same as making personal attacks.
Of the people who have a history of disagreeing with Yudkowsky, can
you find anyone with some respectability who would find your
descriptions "raving narcissist" and "explodes into titanic outbursts
of uncontrollable, embarrassing rage when someone with real knowledge
of this area dares to disagree with him" to be appropriate / in touch
with reality? You can start by asking Ben Goertzel.
Why would I start by asking Ben Goertzel? Ben is a diplomatic,
politically astute guy who now participates in the same organization as
Eliezer Yudkowsky: even if he did agree with my statements in private,
he would never express such an opinion in public.
I know of people from outside these lists who have taken a look at some
of Eliezer's writings. These people would go much further than I would:
they think he is an insane, ill-informed megalomaniac who is able to
distract people from his faults with his mathematical prowess.
I also know of people on these lists who have private expressed the view
that his behavior during the incident on SL4 last year was a "titanic
outburst of uncontrollable, embarrassing rage". (Aleksei, are you
actually aware of that incident? If not, you may have some background
work to do).
I also know people on these lists and elsewhere who know enough
cognitive science to pass judgement on the technical aspects of his
comments during the aforesaid incident on SL4: these people are of the
opinion that his understanding of the issues actually under discussion
on that occasion was risible.
But, sorry, I cannot produce these people as witnesses. Why do you
suppose that any of these people would want to become involved in public
statements about Yudkowsky? They would rightly consider it both foolish
and a stupid waste of time to come out in public and make their opinion
known. I would be embarrassed to ask them to put themselves in the line
of fire by openly speaking their minds.
I think that my comments were not only appropriate and in touch with
reality, but in fact quite understated.
The position of most people who actually know about the topics that
Yudkowsky is talking about, and about what he has said on those topics,
is that he'll be hanged by his own petard. They believe that there is
no need to take him down because in the course of time he will get
exposure in the wider world, and when that happens he will be scorned as
a narcissist fool who is trying to build a personality cult around
himself. His writings will be put on display and people will judge for
themselves. If you don't believe this, why don't you contact someone
from Discover magazine, or Wired, or Seed, and ask them if they would
like to do a piece on Yudkowsky? Make sure you point them to his wilder
writings, and note carefully their reaction (if they bother to talk to
you ever again) when they see those writings.
My concern is that this will reflect badly on the entire community.
Outsiders don't give a damn about that, but I do.
My position with respect to Yudkowsky is that he not has only made such
an extravagant and slanderous attack on me in the past that I have no
reservations about speaking my mind about him, but that he is a loose
cannon who will damage this community.
Richard Loosemore.
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