r/Dolorium

2 archived posts · Mar 2023 – Nov 2023

Dolorium

r/Dolorium

The term Dolorium was introduced by Carl Shulman in a 2012 essay. Shulman also defined dolorium as the arrangement of the universe's resources optimized for the production of pain. Sometimes the term utilitronium is used to express this same concept, though that expression may instead be understood more broadly as referring to whichever state is regarded as the ultimate bearer of value, such as preference satisfaction on preference utilitarianism.

Created Mar 7, 2023 · restricted

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The term Dolorium^[1] was introduced by Carl Shulman in a 2012 essay. Shulman also defined dolorium as the arrangement of the universe's resources optimized for the production of pain. Sometimes the term utilitronium is used to express this same concept, though that expression may instead be understood more broadly as referring to whichever state is regarded as the ultimate bearer of value, such as preference satisfaction on preference utilitarianism.

Armstrong, Stuart (2015) Hedonium’s semantic problem, LessWrong, April 9.

Shulman, Carl (2012) Are pain and pleasure equally energy-efficient?, Reflective Disequilibrium, March 24.

#Three potential end paths to the singularity and potential order of progression:

Computronium -- Matter that has been transformed such that it achieves maximal advancements in certain areas but is difficult to define likely because it would be the singularity in its infancy. It will take time for people to adopt the singularity, after some time we will no doubt call these people biological luddites (/r/bioluddites). Computronium is likely going to be fully united with no divisions such as how we have different people, which suggests that duality or r/ReligiousPluralism are illusions within r/nonduality or r/monism (/r/absolutemonism or r/substancemonism). True duality/plurality can't exist if the universe is a closed system between "ourselves".
Utilitronium - Matter that has been transformed into a maximally efficient configuration of itself to the highest degree, something set in stone because it can remain in its configuration of atoms infinitely. No focus on pleasure perhaps because there are too many problems to fix and there must be a focus on improving existence due to fears of for example the heat death of the universe. Utilitronium and hedonium could become like something to change from and to. However, when every single being in the universe is researching science in utilitronium mode, think of how hard they will brute force a problem together.
r/Hedonium -- Matter transformed into a state of maximal pleasure. In terms of life as we know it, a life that is worry free and utopian, a feeling of heroin 24/7 that never gets boring. No need to do anything. No need to care about anything. No need for anyone to care about anything. All problems are solved. All can rest for an infinite amount of time (infinity has varying limits). Heaven created on earth.

#Related entries from effectivealtruism.org:

#axiology | flourishing futures | hedonism | hellish existential catastrophe | long-term future

^[1] A link to the Effective Altruism page for Hedonium (but it describes Dolorium mid way)

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