Hypothetical situation: Let’s say while studying rationality you happened across a technique that proved to give startlingly good results. It’s not an effortless path to truth but the work is made systematic and straightforward. You’ve already achieved several novel breakthroughs in fields of interest where you’ve applied the technique (this has advanced your career and financial standing). However, you’ve told nobody and, since nobody is exploring this area, you find it unlikely anybody will independently discover the same technique. You have no reason to believe others would apply this technique to areas you value and therefore doubt the benefits of sharing it widely. There could be a significant first mover advantage to being the only person who practices the technique.
Questions: What do you do? Would you share it with the world on principle? Would you try to establish a trusted group to practice the technique? Would you keep it to yourself until you could improve your position to the point where you’d have greater control and wouldn’t have to watch hopelessly as the technique was applied to immoral ends by others with greater resources than you? Or is there another option?
Hypothetical situation: Let’s say while studying rationality you happened across a technique that proved to give startlingly good results. It’s not an effortless path to truth but the work is made systematic and straightforward. You’ve already achieved several novel breakthroughs in fields of interest where you’ve applied the technique (this has advanced your career and financial standing). However, you’ve told nobody and, since nobody is exploring this area, you find it unlikely anybody will independently discover the same technique. You have no reason to believe others would apply this technique to areas you value and therefore doubt the benefits of sharing it widely. There could be a significant first mover advantage to being the only person who practices the technique.
Questions: What do you do? Would you share it with the world on principle? Would you try to establish a trusted group to practice the technique? Would you keep it to yourself until you could improve your position to the point where you’d have greater control and wouldn’t have to watch hopelessly as the technique was applied to immoral ends by others with greater resources than you? Or is there another option?
Trusted group.