Blog on Richard Li

Mandate of the Right of Consciousness

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction

Why should artificial intelligence not dominate over human beings?

This seems to be a pretty popular question right now. The standard argument seems to be something like “Humans can be seen as an evolution of primates / monkeys. And look how we treat them. Who is to say that general Ai, a cognitively superior being, won’t treat us the same way?”

The subset of human beings that treat animals poorly typically due so because it is easier do treat them poorly than properly– easier in the sense of cost-wise (cheaper), time-wise (faster), or cognitively-wise (forgetfulness / incompetence). ie: Due to external environmental factors or internal skill-issues, which is then evaluated by the human brain and put into action.

AI Journal (1)

Sun, 11 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

My new obsession lately has been trying to get an AI journalling app up and running.

I’ve had this thought for a while now, and, after checking in with a couple online sources, it seems like no one has done it:

using journalling to create a game like statistics system for self motivation.

The basic pipeline would be:

voice -> journal entry -> decompose into actions -> generalize into skills, characteristics -> update character graph

Inevitability's blessing: Counter to Roki's basilisk

Sun, 11 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Fun thought-conclusion I had over winter break: If something will come no matter what, then make it come in the best way possible.

Roko’s Basilisk

Roko’s Basilisk is an internet “myth”, in essence, but it points to a deeper truth if you don’t straw-man the argument.

For those that don’t know, Roko’s Basilisk is a thought experiment at what a ‘info-hazard’ would be– knowledge that brings harm simply by knowing it. The argument (in what I believe to be it’s most steel-man form) is: There will eventually be an all-powerful (artificial) intelligence sometime in the future, between now and the heat-death of the universe. This entity might retroactivity punish those who did not help bring about its existence (eg: harm descendants) in retribution, including those that only knew but did not act nor aid development of such a entity. As such, mere knowledge of this argument means one must act toward the development of this entity lest face ‘infinite’ punishment, which in turns makes this entity more likely to be brought into existence.

College essays

Sat, 20 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

What is the point of college essays?

They never mention it, but it’s for a declaration of self-identity.

Identity

College Apps

College applications were 2 years ago for me, and (aside from the mental breakdown that comes from having to assess and verbalize yourself and your own future at the most flexible and thus indecisive time of your time, at least for me) I’m only now starting to see their intent.

Why Blog?

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

What is the point of a web-blog?

Well, that’s it, isn’t it?

Why Blog

I mean, I’m sure you can go online and search, and there’ll be innumerously many reasons. But personally? I have had this itch in the back of my skull for a while now, and so, here and now, I will write out this declaration of intent:

I blog for the goals of this blog, and the goals of this blog are: