Roko's Basilisk

Num7

Administrator
Staff
Messages
12,443
Roko's basilisk is a proposition that says an all-powerful artificial intelligence from the future may retroactively punish those who did not assist in bringing about its existence. It resembles a futurist version of Pascal's wager; an argument suggesting that people should take into account particular singularitarian ideas, or even donate money, by weighing up the prospect of punishment versus reward. Furthermore, the proposition says that merely knowing about it incurs the risk of punishment (Now you know about it. You know who to thank while you will be tortured). It is also mixed with an ontological argument, to suggest this is even a reasonable threat.

Check it out here:
Roko's basilisk - RationalWiki

That's the first time I hear of this idea!
 

TimeFlipper

Senior Member
Messages
13,705
The punishment versus reward and the donations remind me of the Mormon ideology...
If you allow them into your house and they tell you about John Smith who is their prophet of god, and if after this you decide not to follow their beliefs, then all hell will fall upon you :eek::D..I had two mormons visit me back in 1976, and of course they wanted the 10% donations to their cause :ROFLMAO:..

The only thing i can think of regarding the artificial intelligence punishing us if we did not bring about its creation, is the collective of all the religions we have here on earth...Some of them are like the mormons i mentioned, and others that actually offer you a life of paradise if you follow them such as the muslims.....If everybody on earth held no belief in any religious cause, then by that very act every religion would cease to exist...John Lennon and his song " imagine" typifies this :)
 

Pegii

Active Member
Messages
775
It's like a kid who goes around killing every man and woman on the planet who wasn't their Mum and Dad. (Or things to aid its conception IVF Clinic, beer companies etc...)
 
Last edited:

Num7

Administrator
Staff
Messages
12,443
Yeah, that's exactly what it is. Biggest detail is, an AI is only able to analyse things with cold, flawless logic, so if that's the most logical thing it found, then it'll do it!
 

Pegii

Active Member
Messages
775
Yeah, that's exactly what it is. Biggest detail is, an AI is only able to analyse things with cold, flawless logic, so if that's the most logical thing it found, then it'll do it!
Well don't build a basilisk then
 

Top