I don’t think it was strictly speaking “persuasive” to anyone
Just as a data point, I was rather greatly persuaded by Karnofsky’s argument here. As someone who reads LW more often for the cognitive science/philosophy stuff and not so much for the FAI/Singularity stuff, I did not have a very coherent opinion of the SI, particularly one that incorporated objective critiques (such as Karnofsky’s).
Furthermore, I certainly did not, as you assert, know that it is a bad idea to donate to the Singularity Institute. In fact, I had often heard the opposite here.
Thanks. That’s very interesting to me, even as an anecdote. I’ve heard the opposite here too; that’s why I made it a normative statement (“everyone already should know”). Between the missing money and the publication record, I can’t imagine what would make SI look worth investing in to me. Yes, that would sometimes lead you astray. But even posts like, oh:
http://lesswrong.com/lw/43m/optimal_employment/?sort=top
are pretty much the norm around here (I picked that since Luke helped write it). Basically, an insufficient attempt to engage with the conventional wisdom.
How much should you like this place just because they’re hardliners on issues you believe in? (generic you). There are lots of compatibilists, materialists, consequentialists, MWIers, or whatever in the world. Less Wrong seems unusual in being rather hardline on these issues, but that’s usually more a sign that people have turned it into a social issue than a matter of intellectual conviction (or better, competence). Anyway, probably I’ve become inappropriately off topic for this page; I’m just rambling. To say at least something on topic: A few months back there was an issue of Nature talking about philanthropy in science (cover article and a few other pieces as I recall); easily searchable I’m sure, and may have some relevance (both as SI tries to get money or “commission” pieces).
Just as a data point, I was rather greatly persuaded by Karnofsky’s argument here. As someone who reads LW more often for the cognitive science/philosophy stuff and not so much for the FAI/Singularity stuff, I did not have a very coherent opinion of the SI, particularly one that incorporated objective critiques (such as Karnofsky’s).
Furthermore, I certainly did not, as you assert, know that it is a bad idea to donate to the Singularity Institute. In fact, I had often heard the opposite here.
Thanks. That’s very interesting to me, even as an anecdote. I’ve heard the opposite here too; that’s why I made it a normative statement (“everyone already should know”). Between the missing money and the publication record, I can’t imagine what would make SI look worth investing in to me. Yes, that would sometimes lead you astray. But even posts like, oh: http://lesswrong.com/lw/43m/optimal_employment/?sort=top
are pretty much the norm around here (I picked that since Luke helped write it). Basically, an insufficient attempt to engage with the conventional wisdom.
How much should you like this place just because they’re hardliners on issues you believe in? (generic you). There are lots of compatibilists, materialists, consequentialists, MWIers, or whatever in the world. Less Wrong seems unusual in being rather hardline on these issues, but that’s usually more a sign that people have turned it into a social issue than a matter of intellectual conviction (or better, competence). Anyway, probably I’ve become inappropriately off topic for this page; I’m just rambling. To say at least something on topic: A few months back there was an issue of Nature talking about philanthropy in science (cover article and a few other pieces as I recall); easily searchable I’m sure, and may have some relevance (both as SI tries to get money or “commission” pieces).