Money functions as an equivalent-certainty that reduces the need for information

Evidence

The first is that every time the human intervenes, the system learns: it realizes that it was in error and gets a better idea of what the human prefers. Its uncertainty is reduced. If the uncertainty ever reduces all the way to zero, however, then the system loses any incentive to touch base with the human or to comply with the human’s attempts to interrupt. — Brian Christian, The Alignment Problem, 1294 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

The opposite pole of the continuum is found in certain phenomena characteristic of modern culture with its money economy. Here the individual, inasmuch as he produces, buys, sells, and in general performs anything, approaches the ideal of absolute objectivity. Except in the highest leading positions, the individual life and the tone of the total personality is removed from the social action. Individuals are merely engaged in an exchange of performance and counter-performance that takes place according to objective norms—and everything that does not belong to this pure objectivity has actually disappeared from it. The personality itself, with its specific coloration, irrationality, and inner life, has completely absorbed the non-social element and, in a neat separation, has left to the social activities only those energies which are specifically appropriate for them. — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 180 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Money is transferable freedom deferring choices of when, with whom, and for what.; Power flows when coded, like money, transmitting reduced complexity; Learning reduces uncertainty that is what motivated deference to humans — Brian Christian, The Alignment Problem, 1294 (+8 more)

Related

• The money economy makes social action approach pure objectivity (similarity 0.85)
• Money is transferable freedom deferring choices of when, with whom, and for what. (similarity 0.82)
• Money is an impersonal standard that negates the content of goods (similarity 0.82)
• Money erases qualitative distinctions by reducing everything to quantity (similarity 0.82)
• Money as system trust creates equivalent-certainty and reduces information needs. (similarity 0.81)
• Money expands economic circles and individualizes participants simultaneously (similarity 0.80)
• Money economy reduces persons to quantitative exchange value (similarity 0.79)
• Intellectual mentality and money economy mutually reinforce each other (similarity 0.79)
• Money substitutes one generalized act for countless individual trust demonstrations (similarity 0.79)
• Money’s abstract promises require trust that excludes others’ unpredictable interference (similarity 0.78)

Broader Connections

• Learning reduces uncertainty that is what motivated deference to humans #corroborates (0.65) — Brian Christian, The Alignment Problem, 1294
• Power flows when coded, like money, transmitting reduced complexity #exemplifies (0.60)
• The money economy makes social action approach pure objectivity #expands (0.55) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 180
• Symbolic generalization absorbs uncertainty by forming expectations at the cost of situational flexibility. #corroborates (0.50)