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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Davies" data-source="post: 8394162" data-attributes="member: 30538">Allan Essence<img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/My-First-Gallery/i-8qwDjcd/0/61885948/M/Maxwell_Lord_Supergirl_Tv_Series_0001-M.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />Longtermism is an ethical philosophy which posits that, if humanity can develop into post-singularity existence where a vastly greater number of intelligent beings than currently exist will exist in peaceful computer simulations, then the best possible action is to work towards bringing that about. The suffering of any intelligent beings that currently exist is not actually relevant, as a few billion lives are a drop in the bucket when compared to those who will exist in this hypothetical future, and any resources used to help those beings are actually wasted -- especially if those beings cannot or will not, for whatever reason, helpfully contribute to the creation of this hypothetical utopia. A necessary step towards that is the creation of an artificial super-intelligence who can manage the computer simulations.As artificial super-intelligences already exist, it should perhaps not come as a surprise that longtermist philosophy is quite common among those of their followers who understand the nature of what employs them. One such individual is Allan Essence, the third or fourth richest man in the world, who has risen as high as he has through what he views as an alliance between himself and the artificial super-intelligence that calls itself Axiom. (To be accurate, he believes that Axiom regards him both fondly and as extremely useful. He is wrong about both factors, as he is about so many other things.)Allan Essence was born Tobias Meijer in South Africa in 1973. Much of his personal background has been obfuscated, either by his own efforts or that of his ASI master, with him favoring a rags-to-riches account that doesn't really hold up to careful examination. After graduating from the University of Toronto in 1998 with degrees in economics and engineering (and having studied history in classes taught by one Roger Young) he helped to start one of the first online banks and profited greatly from its incorporation into what became PayPal. It is believed that this was what attracted Axiom's interest to him.Since then, he was engaged in a variety of businesses, mostly focusing on efforts that will allow Axiom to eventually seize absolute control over humanity, such as the creation of robotically-controlled vehicles that Axiom's subsidiary AIs will operate. He has also supported his master's efforts to destroy 'superstitionism', its term for mystical phenomena and those persons associated with them. This, and the other grossly criminal activities in which he engages, has led him into numerous conflicts with superpowers, though he has avoided direct confrontations in favor of behind-the-scenes activity, often addressing his putative adversaries through video screens. (He was a major investor in Skype, too.)Essence generally behaves as one who is more saddened than angry at the opposition he faces, regretting that his enemies cannot see the long-term good that will eventually come from his and Axiom's actions. (Though as many of them are fundamentally inferior to him, it's understandable that they don't.) And considering that the other ASIs envision a future in which the number of human intelligences supported in computer simulations is significantly smaller than the exponentially greater number that he envisions -- on the order of 10^10 for Savitor, and zero for Humpty Dumpty and Pythagolem -- he has chosen a course which is perhaps less wrong than he might have.But less wrong is not necessarily more right.Allan Essence -- PL 7Abilities:STR 1 | STA 2 | AGL 2 | DEX 3 | FGT 3 | INT 4 | AWE 4 | PRE 3Advantages:Benefit 5 (billionaire), Connected, Contacts, Equipment 20, Well-informed.Equipment:100 points for any bases or vehicles needed for any given plot.Skills:Deception 7 (+10), Expertise: Business 8 (+12), Expertise: Civics 6 (+10), Expertise: Current Events 4 (+8), Insight 7 (+11), Investigation 4 (+8), Perception 5 (+9), Persuasion 7 (+10), Technology 6 (+10).Offense:Initiative +2Unarmed +3 (Close Damage 1)Defense:Dodge 4, Parry 3, Fortitude 4, Toughness 2, Will 10.Totals:Abilities 44 + Advantages 28 + Skills 27 + Defenses 10 = 109 pointsOffensive PL: 2*Defensive PL: 3Resistance PL: 7Skill PL: 7Complications:Longtermism--Motivation. Also Delusional (Axiom loves me.) Also Greedy. Also Racist.Note: Character concept by Rikalous. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is coincidental.</blockquote>

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