I agree that it’s short; now added this as a descriptor above. Technical report was the most appropriate category; they’re usually longer.
… my immediate reaction from looking at the first two definitions given is that they don’t rely on a specific moral framework or class of moral framework whereas the proposed definition seems to rely on some utilitarian or close to utilitarian notion.
We address this, saying:
A lot of the work of this definition is being done by the final couple of words. ‘Value’ refers simply to whatever it is we care about and want in the world, in the same way that ‘desirable future development’ worked in Bostrom’s definition.
What counts as an existential catastrophe does depend on the moral framework (which seems appropriate), but doesn’t seem tied to any specific one. I agree that the simple definition (extinction) dodges anything like this, and that that is a point in its favour.
What counts as an existential catastrophe does depend on the moral framework (which seems appropriate), but doesn’t seem tied to any specific one.
Different frameworks can definitely disagree on whether some events are catastrophes. E.g., a new World War erupting might seem a good thing to some who believe in the Rapture.
If you’re saying that some nontrivial subset of potential catastrophes are universally regarded as such, then I think that should be substantiated. If OTOH you saying this is true as long as you ignore some parts of humanity, then you should specify which parts.
I agree that it’s short; now added this as a descriptor above. Technical report was the most appropriate category; they’re usually longer.
We address this, saying:
What counts as an existential catastrophe does depend on the moral framework (which seems appropriate), but doesn’t seem tied to any specific one. I agree that the simple definition (extinction) dodges anything like this, and that that is a point in its favour.
Different frameworks can definitely disagree on whether some events are catastrophes. E.g., a new World War erupting might seem a good thing to some who believe in the Rapture.
If you’re saying that some nontrivial subset of potential catastrophes are universally regarded as such, then I think that should be substantiated. If OTOH you saying this is true as long as you ignore some parts of humanity, then you should specify which parts.