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Culture War Roundup for the week of October 31, 2022

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And then - if these people are just cavorting in simulacra VR garden land for eternity, is enlightenment as valuable or meaningful there as it is in a complex world with significant demands and willed action? Compare to the enlightened rabbit vs human (or a pet rabbit vs wild rabbit!)

I'm willing to say that enlightenment as I understand it is a sort of special state of equanimity, and commit to the idea that it's just as valuable now as it would be in an extremely wealthy society. Sure you aren't under significant demands, but you also have to resist intense luxury and as you say, VR garden lands. That would take a large amount of willpower itself.

Right, but the 'non-self' and 'emptiness' and 'dependent origination' bits should indicate - there isn't anything to being human, aside from all the specific aspects and experiences and dependencies. What is there to humans, at all, that the AGI doesn't have? What's the difference? Not that there aren't any, but it's probably worth checking, and just saying the word 'human' doesn't necessarily mean anything.

I don't think we have anywhere near the understanding of these mental states to make these sorts of judgements. Sure right now the best we can do is discuss enlightenment in terms of 'non-being' etc etc, but eventually I believe we will have a better understanding of how to enter + exit these states and be able to communicate their qualities with much more fidelity.