Specifically, I’m wondering about some sort of analogue of _The Infinite Assassin_. After all, moral codes are not permanently fixed global properties: they change, and everyone has their own moral code. The set of worlds with one single moral code must be a tiny subset of the total. This means that if you visit such a world and do something that changes its moral codes — start a religion or whatever — presumably the old world remains morally accessible (with you in it) and so does the new one. But if travel between different moral worlds is possible, you must get what to steal Egan’s term one must call higher-order flows in the set of morally possible worlds, caused by people visiting worlds of one moral character and changing it… it rapidly gets headspinning.
As a public service: to get rid of that seizure/migraine-inducing background, go here, bookmark the “zap” link, visit the story and then visit the “zap” bookmark. Your eyes, head, and sanity will thank you.
Thank-you John for the mind expanding SS as well as the consistently insightful website Crooked Timber. Its one of my favorite places to visit in this century.
{ 6 comments }
Nick Alcock 07.17.17 at 9:06 pm
Thought-provoking.
Specifically, I’m wondering about some sort of analogue of _The Infinite Assassin_. After all, moral codes are not permanently fixed global properties: they change, and everyone has their own moral code. The set of worlds with one single moral code must be a tiny subset of the total. This means that if you visit such a world and do something that changes its moral codes — start a religion or whatever — presumably the old world remains morally accessible (with you in it) and so does the new one. But if travel between different moral worlds is possible, you must get what to steal Egan’s term one must call higher-order flows in the set of morally possible worlds, caused by people visiting worlds of one moral character and changing it… it rapidly gets headspinning.
Kiwanda 07.18.17 at 1:20 am
As a public service: to get rid of that seizure/migraine-inducing background, go here, bookmark the “zap” link, visit the story and then visit the “zap” bookmark. Your eyes, head, and sanity will thank you.
nastywoman 07.18.17 at 3:28 am
@2
Hey!
I love the background!
Arf 07.18.17 at 7:35 pm
@Kiwanda, you went to a lot of effort to advertise that zap tool when any sensible person would have just made their browser window a bit narrower.
Kiwanda 07.19.17 at 12:19 am
@Arf, you made an effort to chastise me for advertising a useful tool.
Scott Paterson 07.19.17 at 8:41 pm
Somebody watches Rick and Morty!
Thank-you John for the mind expanding SS as well as the consistently insightful website Crooked Timber. Its one of my favorite places to visit in this century.
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