I take it as axiomatic that humans best understand humans because humans experience life as humans do. Rocks do not. No matter how you might embed a rock with consciousness, it cannot be human consciousness – only rock consciousness which must be held inferior.

I would thus see in the rock some alien intelligence whose purpose is to incite people to self-destruction without a human capacity to empathize. It is therefore a threat to humanity. As such, I destroy the rock.

Or I move it to the territory of my enemy.

Problem solved!

Are you suggesting that the claim that i should commit suicide is reasonable on the basis that there are only two choices (to be or not to be)?

There are probably claims that a rock could make that I might accept. Consider the weather rock – “If I’m wet it’s raining, if I’m white it’s snowing…”

And I’m willing to posit the possibility that there is some sequence the rock could follow to gain my confidence.

After all, saying “I cannot imagine what a rock could do to convince me of something” or “There is no way anyone or anything can convince me of this proposition” is in some part a statement about my imagination and sophistication.

That said, extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and here we have two extraordinary claims. Do evidentiary requirements add or multiply?

If I were to encounter a burning bush that demonstrated godlike abilities, I would have to conclude that my reality is not what it appeared to be, but is perhaps a Matrix-style simulation or a ‘basement-level’ universe with magic. My priors would favour the former, and no sensory evidence could defeat that judgment, including claims by the bush.

Rcrii, your feeling uncertain about the rock’s priors has nothing to do with the priors being uncommon. In a formal model, priors are always common knowledge; everyone knows that everyone knows … them.

Eliezer’s suggestion reminds me of a joke from a Terry Pratchett book:

In the old country there was a magic glade with a tree stump in the middle. If your pony throws a shoe, you can take it to the glade and tie it to the stump and leave a gold piece on the stump. When you come back the next morning the gold piece will be gone … and so will the pony.

following Eliezer’s argument, what if the rock – that looks like a lion’s head – said “put 1000 $ cash in my mouth and I will make you lucky etc. Would you invest 1 $ to see if it works?

What if the rock doesnt look like a rock but like an ordinary human being and asks for 1000 $?

As we say in Yiddish, if my grandmother had beitzes (testicles) she wouldnt be my grandmother, he would be my grandfather. And what if my grandmother had wheels instead of legs? she would be a byclicle.

The Gemoyre says… enough.