most people believe (implicitly or explicitly) that empirical research is the only feasible path forward to building a somewhat aligned generally intelligent AI scientist.
I don’t credit that they believe that. And, I don’t credit that you believe that they believe that. What did they do, to truly test their belief—such that it could have been changed? For most of them the answer is “basically nothing”. Such a “belief” is not a belief (though it may be an investment, if that’s what you mean). What did you do to truly test that they truly tested their belief? If nothing, then yours isn’t a belief either (though it may be an investment). If yours is an investment in a behavioral stance, that investment may or may not be advisable, but it would DEFINITELY be inadvisable to pretend to yourself that yours is a belief.
I don’t credit that they believe that. And, I don’t credit that you believe that they believe that. What did they do, to truly test their belief—such that it could have been changed? For most of them the answer is “basically nothing”. Such a “belief” is not a belief (though it may be an investment, if that’s what you mean). What did you do to truly test that they truly tested their belief? If nothing, then yours isn’t a belief either (though it may be an investment). If yours is an investment in a behavioral stance, that investment may or may not be advisable, but it would DEFINITELY be inadvisable to pretend to yourself that yours is a belief.