Definition
Value Lock-in is an event or process that causes a single value system, or set of value systems, to persist for an extremely long time, potentially indefinitely. It represents the transition from a state of “moral plasticity” to one of “moral rigidity.”
Why It Matters
We currently live in an era of moral progress. Lock-in would end this, potentially “freezing” the universe in a state based on 21st-century prejudices, effectively committing future trillions of beings to a permanent moral mistake.
Core Concepts
- Early Plasticity, Later Rigidity: Like molten glass, moral worldviews are easier to shape when they are new or in transition. Once they “cool” and are institutionalized, they become resistant to change (e.g., the “Hundred Schools of Thought” era in ancient China).
- AI as a Lock-in Mechanism: Because software is immortal and replicable, an AI aligned with a specific (and potentially flawed) value system could enforce that system for millions of years, preventing further moral progress.
- Cultural Evolution Entrenchment: Cultures that develop traits for self-preservation and the elimination of competition are more likely to persist, leading to a world dominated by “entrenchment-oriented” values.
- Homogenization Risk: Globalization and a potential world government remove the competitive pressure for moral change, increasing the risk that current errors become permanent.