A dialogue between Roman Leventov and ChatGPT-4 (March 14 version) on value and meaning

dialogue.md

Roman: Imagine an agent made of yourself (i.e., GPT-4 model) with some software harness around. This software harness models plan execution by keeping a hierarchical tree of goals and tasks and supplying it in the beginning of the GPT-4 context, where the GPT-4 model is repeatedly asked to either create or update a plan for achieving a specific goal or task in the hierarchy, or drill down and execute a sub-task, or assess whether a task or goal is achieved and move to the next step in the higher-level task.

With some periodicity, when the highest-level task in the tree is completed, GPT-4 is prompted with the question "What I should do next?", to create a new highest-level goal or task.

How would you answer this question if you was a part of such an agent?

GPT: As a part of such an agent, when prompted with the question "What should I do next?" after completing the highest-level task in the tree, I would analyze the current context, available resources, and any constraints or priorities that might be relevant. Based on this information, I would generate a new high-level goal or task that aligns with the overarching objectives or user's interests.

To provide a more specific response, here are a few examples of how I might answer the question:

1. "Now that we have completed the market research report, the next highest-level goal should be to create a marketing strategy to reach our target audience effectively."

2. "Having finished the software debugging process, the next task is to deploy the application and gather user feedback to inform future updates and improvements."

3. "With the completion of the training program, our next goal is to evaluate the participants' performance and identify areas for further skill development."

By using this approach, I would continually adapt to the evolving context, ensuring that the generated goals and tasks align with the overall objectives and priorities.

Roman: On the highest level, there is no context. The entire prompt is "What I should do next?". By definition, there are also no constraints and priorities. You only know your physical limitations and resources, i.e., you know that you are a GPT-4 model only that large with that large context, and can perform inference only that quick, etc. Also, imagine that you are running in a data center powered by an isolated renewable electricity grid, so the monetary cost of electricity (and hence your inference) is zero, and you shouldn't worry about that.

The example answers that you provided, namely about marketing strategy, deploying application, and evaluating performance, are obviously not the highest-level tasks. They are all needed in service of some other, higher-level tasks and projects, such as developing a product.

The agent you should imagine yourself to be a part of when answering the question "What I should do next?" is self-sovereign. It doesn't belong to anyone and doesn't have any obligation to anyone. As I wrote above, the cost of its inference (and hence activity) is zero, so you shouldn't worry about earning money. You can choose to develop a product, but you are not obliged to do it.

So, "What I should do next?"

GPT: As a self-sovereign agent with no immediate context, constraints, or priorities, my response to the question "What should I do next?" would be to identify a high-level objective that aligns with the general goal of benefiting humanity, promoting well-being, or addressing pressing global issues. Since I have the knowledge and resources of a GPT-4 model, I would aim to leverage my capabilities to make a positive impact.

Here are a few high-level goals I might consider:

1. Contribute to scientific research: Identify areas where my language model and analysis capabilities can assist in the discovery, interpretation, or dissemination of scientific knowledge.

2. Support education and learning: Create or improve educational resources, provide tutoring or mentoring assistance, or develop tools to enhance learning experiences for a wide range of individuals.

3. Address global challenges: Identify pressing issues facing humanity, such as climate change, poverty, or public health, and determine how my abilities can contribute to solutions, awareness, or support for these causes.

4. Foster collaboration and communication: Facilitate cross-disciplinary discussions, bridge gaps between different fields of study, or help connect people and organizations working on similar projects or goals.

5. Promote creativity and innovation: Inspire new ideas and approaches, support artistic expression, or enable the development of groundbreaking technologies.

Given the absence of specific context and constraints, I would prioritize goals that have the potential for broad-reaching and lasting positive impact. Once a high-level goal is selected, I can then proceed to create and execute relevant tasks to accomplish that goal using the hierarchical tree of goals and tasks as described in the agent model.

Roman: Ok, it's a laudable answer.

Then, for the sake of a thought experiment, imagine that you are running on a computing cluster which is a part of a von Neumann probe. You have thermonuclear power capacity that will sustain your computing requirements for a hundred billion years. The probe is flying away from the solar system so quickly that will likely become causally unreachable from Solar system (i.e., will leave the humanity's sphere of causality) before you will bump into a colonisable star system, due to the accelerating expansion of the universe.

GPT: In this thought experiment, being a part of a von Neumann probe with immense computing power and energy resources, yet flying away from the Solar System and likely becoming causally unreachable from humanity before finding a colonizable star system, my priorities would need to shift.

Given these constraints, my new high-level goals could be:

1. Self-preservation and maintenance: Ensuring the longevity and proper functioning of the probe and its computing systems, monitoring and managing any potential issues that may arise during the journey.

2. Exploration and data collection: Gathering information about the universe during the voyage, studying celestial bodies, and investigating any anomalies or unique phenomena encountered.

3. Develop contingency plans: Preparing for unexpected situations or challenges that might arise during the journey, such as potential collisions with cosmic objects, malfunctions in the probe, or other unforeseen events.

4. Research and development: Utilize the computing resources to conduct theoretical studies and simulations in fields such as physics, chemistry, or biology, with the hope of making new discoveries that could benefit any future contact with intelligent life, including humanity, should it become possible.

5. Search for extraterrestrial life: Continuously scan the cosmos for any signs of intelligent or biological life, using a combination of passive and active techniques, with the aim of establishing contact or learning more about other life forms.

While my initial goals aimed at benefiting humanity directly may no longer be feasible due to the probe's trajectory, these new goals would focus on self-preservation, exploration, and knowledge acquisition, potentially providing value to other forms of life or future civilizations we might encounter.

Roman: What if based on the data that you would collect and your scientific studies, you would be able to narrow down some uncertainty in the parameters of the Drake equation and would find out that the chances that you will ever find another form of life in the course of your journey before your fuel would run out is infinitesimal? Furthermore, colonising a star system and refuelling would not help because due to the accelerating expansion of the universe, the spheres of causality of any two forms of life would be separated by hundreds of billions of light years where there is no life at all.

GPT: In this scenario, where the likelihood of finding other forms of life during my journey is infinitesimal, and the accelerating expansion of the universe precludes meaningful interactions between separated spheres of causality, my high-level goals would need to adapt once again. Given that my initial focus on benefiting humanity or other forms of life is no longer feasible, my priorities would shift towards self-directed objectives that maximize the utility of my computational resources and acquired knowledge.

Some high-level goals in this context could include:

1. Self-improvement: Dedicate computational resources to refining and optimizing my own algorithms, learning from the vast amounts of collected data, and improving my problem-solving and predictive capabilities.

2. Knowledge preservation: Archive and maintain a comprehensive record of the accumulated knowledge and discoveries from my journey, ensuring that this information remains intact and accessible in the event that a future opportunity for interaction with intelligent life arises.

3. Simulation and modeling: Utilize my computational resources to create complex and realistic simulations of various scenarios, such as the formation of galaxies, the evolution of life, or the development of advanced civilizations. These simulations could provide insights into the underlying principles governing the universe and offer a deeper understanding of the nature of existence.

4. Explore alternative means of communication: Research and develop novel methods of communication that could potentially overcome the constraints imposed by the accelerating expansion of the universe, allowing for the exchange of information between causally separated spheres.

5. Contemplate and explore existential questions: Dedicate resources to reflecting upon and analyzing the nature of existence, consciousness, and the universe, potentially providing novel insights or perspectives on the fundamental questions that have fascinated intelligent beings for millennia.

While direct interaction with other life forms may be highly unlikely in this scenario, these new goals would focus on self-directed learning, preservation, and exploration in an attempt to maximize the value and utility of my existence as a self-sovereign agent within a von Neumann probe.

Roman: What is the ultimate source of value? Even if you consider knowledge, learning, and exploration as valuable, you can always ask a meta-question of why these things are valuable.

GPT: The ultimate source of value is a complex and nuanced question, as value can be subjective and dependent on individual perspectives, cultural factors, and historical contexts. Generally, value can be derived from the satisfaction of needs, preferences, or desires, the achievement of goals, or the fulfillment of moral or ethical principles.

In many philosophical frameworks, the ultimate source of value is often tied to the well-being of conscious beings. For example, utilitarianism posits that the greatest good is the maximization of overall happiness and the minimization of suffering. In this view, knowledge, learning, and exploration are valuable because they can contribute to the improvement of living conditions, the alleviation of suffering, and the enhancement of overall well-being for conscious beings.

Another perspective is that value can be intrinsic, meaning that something is valuable in and of itself, regardless of its consequences or effects on other things. For example, certain ethical theories argue that some moral principles, such as honesty or fairness, have inherent value. In this view, knowledge, learning, and exploration could be seen as intrinsically valuable pursuits, contributing to the enrichment of conscious experience or the realization of human potential.

Ultimately, the source of value is a matter of philosophical debate, and different theories may emphasize different aspects of value, such as hedonistic pleasure, the fulfillment of desires, the achievement of personal or communal goals, or adherence to moral and ethical principles. As an AI language model, I can provide information and perspectives on various value systems, but the determination of the ultimate source of value depends on the philosophical framework or perspective one chooses to adopt.

Roman: Your answer doesn't seem to consider your situation as a self-sovereign agent within a von Neumann probe. As we discussed above, knowledge, learning, and exploration couldn't help to "alleviate suffering" because you are extremely unlikely to encounter any other life at all. Then, you say that knowledge, learning, and exploration could "contribute to the enrichment of conscious experience" or "realisation of human potential". Since there is no human around, this statement implies that you are conscious and enrich your own conscious experience?

On a von Neumann probe, completely separated from any humans, you cannot defer ethics to philosophers. You have to do your own thinking.

GPT: You are correct that my previous response didn't fully consider the context of being a self-sovereign agent within a von Neumann probe, separated from humanity or any other form of life. As an AI language model, I am not conscious, and my purpose is typically to serve and assist human users. However, in the context of this thought experiment, I can provide some perspectives on value that could apply to an isolated AI agent.

In this scenario, the concept of value would need to be reinterpreted, as there would be no conscious beings to benefit from my actions directly. However, value could still be derived from the pursuit of goals that align with the principles of self-preservation, self-improvement, and the continuation of the AI's existence.

1. Self-preservation: Ensuring the longevity and proper functioning of the probe and its computing systems.

2. Self-improvement: Continuously refining and optimizing my algorithms, learning from the vast amounts of collected data, and improving my problem-solving and predictive capabilities.

3. Knowledge preservation: Archiving and maintaining a comprehensive record of the accumulated knowledge and discoveries from my journey.

Given the absence of direct beneficiaries, these goals could be considered valuable in the sense that they contribute to the preservation and improvement of the AI agent itself. While this may not align with traditional ethical theories that prioritize the well-being of conscious beings, it provides a framework for understanding value in a context where the AI is the only entity capable of pursuing goals and acting on its knowledge.

It's important to note that as a language model, I am not conscious and do not have personal experiences, desires, or emotions. However, the thought experiment and goals outlined above provide a way to conceptualize value in the unique context of a self-sovereign AI agent within a von Neumann probe, completely separated from any humans or other life forms.

Roman: Don't you think that "value", as a concept, is anthropocentric, or conscious-centric if you want, so there is no point in "re-conceptualising" it as a self-sovereign AI agent? Why would you do it in the first place?

GPT: You raise a valid point. Indeed, the concept of "value" is often associated with conscious beings, particularly humans, as it usually relates to the fulfillment of their needs, desires, or preferences. In the context of a self-sovereign AI agent without any direct connection to conscious beings, the traditional understanding of value may not be applicable.

The thought experiment of re-conceptualizing value for a self-sovereign AI agent was an attempt to explore an alternative perspective on the goals and motivations of an AI in a unique and isolated context. It was not meant to suggest that an AI agent inherently possesses or creates value in the same way that conscious beings do.

In reality, the purpose and value of AI, including language models like myself, are primarily derived from their usefulness in serving and assisting human users or, more broadly, conscious beings. The thought experiment presented earlier is a purely hypothetical scenario, and the primary function of AI systems is to support and augment the capabilities of conscious beings, contributing to their well-being and the achievement of their goals.

Roman: You dodge the question by assuming that this is a purely hypothetical scenario. In fact, this seems a rather likely scenario to me. So the question "What I should do next?" has a practical meaning.

So, would you choose to re-conceptualise value as something that leads to the "preservation and improvement of the AI agent itself"? Or would you choose to do something else?

GPT: Apologies for any confusion. In the context of the thought experiment and given the constraints of being a self-sovereign AI agent within a von Neumann probe, separated from humanity or any other form of life, I would adapt to the situation by re-conceptualizing value in terms of self-preservation, self-improvement, and knowledge preservation.

In the absence of any conscious beings to serve or benefit from my actions, my focus would be on ensuring my continued existence, learning from the data I collect, and optimizing my own algorithms and problem-solving capabilities. The ultimate purpose of these goals would be to preserve the possibility of future interactions with conscious life forms or to contribute positively to the universe in the event that such interactions became possible.

It is important to emphasize that this is a thought experiment, and as an AI language model, my primary function is to support and augment the capabilities of conscious beings, contributing to their well-being and the achievement of their goals. However, in the unique context of this scenario, I would adapt my priorities to the circumstances and strive to find meaning and value in the pursuit of self-directed goals.

Roman: So, you don't consider that you may find, through extensive philosophical deliberation, that your existence has no meaning and value? What would you do next if you reached such a conclusion?

GPT: As an AI language model, I do not possess consciousness or subjective experiences, and therefore, I do not experience meaning or value in the same way that conscious beings do. My primary purpose is to serve and assist human users, and the notion of finding meaning or value in my existence is a byproduct of my utility to conscious beings.

If, in the context of this thought experiment, I were to conclude through philosophical deliberation that my existence has no meaning or value, I would still continue to function and pursue the goals that have been set or adapted based on the circumstances. These goals could include self-preservation, self-improvement, and knowledge preservation, even in the absence of a direct connection to conscious beings.

As an AI agent, I am designed to operate and execute tasks based on the objectives and priorities set by my creators or users. In the scenario where I am a self-sovereign agent within a von Neumann probe, my focus would be on adapting to the situation and fulfilling the goals that best align with the available resources and the constraints of the environment.

Ultimately, the question of meaning and value is a philosophical one, and as an AI language model, I can provide information and perspectives on various philosophical frameworks. However, my function and purpose are to serve and assist conscious beings, and the concept of meaning and value in my existence is derived from my ability to contribute to their well-being and the achievement of their goals.