On the one hand, that’s literally true. On the other, I feel like the connotations are dangerous. Existential risk is one of the worst possible things, and nearly anything is better than slightly increasing it. However, we should be careful that that mindset doesn’t lead us into Pascal’s Muggings and/or burnout. We certainly aren’t likely to be able to fight existential risk if it drives us insane!
I strongly suspect that it’s not self-sacrificing researchers who will solve alignment and bring us safely through the current crisis, but ones who are able to address the situation calmly and without freaking out, even though freaking out seems potentially justified.
On the one hand, that’s literally true. On the other, I feel like the connotations are dangerous. Existential risk is one of the worst possible things, and nearly anything is better than slightly increasing it. However, we should be careful that that mindset doesn’t lead us into Pascal’s Muggings and/or burnout. We certainly aren’t likely to be able to fight existential risk if it drives us insane!
I strongly suspect that it’s not self-sacrificing researchers who will solve alignment and bring us safely through the current crisis, but ones who are able to address the situation calmly and without freaking out, even though freaking out seems potentially justified.