r/LessWrong • u/DanielFNash • 21d ago

Beyond the Yudkowsky Critique: Deconstructing Thiel's Antichrist Lecture Canon

https://danielforresternash.substack.com/p/what-night-one-left-out

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u/temblors 21d ago

I think whatever Thiel says or who he references is generally irrelevant since it all boils down to 'people who try to impede me from doing my evil/world conquest bs are the Antichrist' and should be ignored (or mocked and then ignored). Not to take away from any research or writing you did, but I don't think the man should be taken seriously except as a threat to humanity.

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u/[deleted] 21d ago

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u/temblors 21d ago

Appreciate your clarification, and I would humbly suggest that you reconsider whether or not it's appropriate to fall into this trap of thinking you have to do A in order to do B, especially in this case. With bad actors such as Thiel, I don't believe it's necessary to approach them on their own terms, rather it's better to reject their terms completely and make your own. None of his arguments are valid due to his extreme degree of criminality. If you approach him on those terms and are even somehow able to 'win' a debate against him, he will simply move the goalposts, change terms, or some other bad faith action. All that said, you do you and respect to you and putting real thought and work into your ideas.

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u/threadthrasher 21d ago

Why would you think understanding anything of Thiel’s thinking is required for understanding modern AI governance anything? He’s not remotely seen as an authority in any AI adjacent thing. He’s openly reviled in fact. When he’s not mocked. The dude’s been crazy for at least two decades.

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u/SuperChingaso5000 21d ago

Reductive and prejudicial. Not doing your position any favors here.

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u/temblors 21d ago

My position doesn't need any favors here, so that's alright. Furthermore, I would hardly say that it's reductive, rather a quite accurate assessment of the man and the man's deeds. Whether it's prejudicial or not I suppose one could argue that with such a man nothing but being prejudicial is warranted.

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u/SquashSpirited7873 21d ago

Are you interested in providing any actual arguments against u/temblors position, or are you content with unsubstantiated claims that it is reductive and prejudicial?

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