I agree with Singularity Institute positions on a great deal. After all, I recently made my first donation to the Singularity Institute.
Be careful about the direction of causation here!
The direction of causality: Forward in time!
Sure, commitment effects and identity considerations are going to tend to increase agreement. However this can’t weaken the extent to which a donation having been made is evidence of agreement at that time. Agreement may have increased since then but they clearly had some other reason at the time. (I don’t think acausal trade with their future post-commitment influenced selves really comes into it!)
The direction of causality: Forward in time!
Sure, commitment effects and identity considerations are going to tend to increase agreement. However this can’t weaken the extent to which a donation having been made is evidence of agreement at that time. Agreement may have increased since then but they clearly had some other reason at the time. (I don’t think acausal trade with their future post-commitment influenced selves really comes into it!)
Technically: having made a donation can skew perception of past agreement. Memory is part recollection, part reconstruction.
Please see grandparent.
My apology.