Q* is a combination of Q-learning and the A* search algorithm, providing a mathematically formal approach to efficiently search through the meta-space of ideas. This can be visualized as a foggy lake, where every possible idea and version of reality exists as stepping stones. The goal, such as creating AGI, is an island on this lake, and the path towards it involves navigating the stepping stones.
Q-learning introduces the insight that ambitious objectives can be deceptive, as the more stepping stones required to cross the lake of ignorance, the more deceptive the objective becomes.