I’m pretty sure I’ve taken this issue as seriously as anyone else in the EA world has for longer than almost anyone else, and I’ve never believed that anyone should think about nematode welfare ~at all. I think that roughly 0 EA resources should go to nematode welfare. I don’t know anyone who thinks that the only causes that matter are nematode welfare or even insect welfare. This is not due to concerns about nematode being rejected out of hand. It’s because the evidence for their subjective experience is much weaker.
I calculate soil nematodes, mites, and springtails have (in expectation) a welfare of −4.36*10^-6, −1.57*10^-5, and −2.35*10^-5 QALY/​animal-year, and an annual welfare of −296 k, −13.9 k, and −10.4 k times that of humans.
Interesting points, Abraham.
I calculate soil nematodes, mites, and springtails have (in expectation) a welfare of −4.36*10^-6, −1.57*10^-5, and −2.35*10^-5 QALY/​animal-year, and an annual welfare of −296 k, −13.9 k, and −10.4 k times that of humans.