I think it’s unimportant. I would hope everyone is already aware we’ve arrived where we’re at for contingent reasons. I think it’s more than plausible we could have an alternative structure for capital allocation than the one we have now. I think this first step should have been combined with the next couple steps to just be its own first step.
Michael Dickens took the opposite route and said Open Phil should prioritize wild animal welfare. I also remember last year there were lots of people just asking questions about whether the EA Funds should be managed differently, and nothing happened, and then I made a statement more than a question, and then the EA Funds changed a lot.
I think your suggestion of Good Ventures making more grants to the EA Funds would be a better alternative, though before that I’d like to be confident the kinks have been worked out of the EA Funds management system. I was speaking more generally, though, that all kinds of generic structures that merely decentralized grantmaking in EA more would be better. That it could almost be any structure that had that feature was my point. I’m aware there are reasons people might behave as though so much decision-making being concentrated in Open Phil is optimal. If you have knowledge there is a significant portion of the EA community who indeed sincerely believes the current structure for capital allocation being so concentrated as it is, please let me know. I would act on that, as I would see that as a ludicrous and dangerous notion for all of EA I wouldn’t think even Open Phil or Good Ventures would condone.
I think it’s unimportant. I would hope everyone is already aware we’ve arrived where we’re at for contingent reasons. I think it’s more than plausible we could have an alternative structure for capital allocation than the one we have now. I think this first step should have been combined with the next couple steps to just be its own first step.
Michael Dickens took the opposite route and said Open Phil should prioritize wild animal welfare. I also remember last year there were lots of people just asking questions about whether the EA Funds should be managed differently, and nothing happened, and then I made a statement more than a question, and then the EA Funds changed a lot.
Got it, thanks.
What alternative do you have in mind?
I think your suggestion of Good Ventures making more grants to the EA Funds would be a better alternative, though before that I’d like to be confident the kinks have been worked out of the EA Funds management system. I was speaking more generally, though, that all kinds of generic structures that merely decentralized grantmaking in EA more would be better. That it could almost be any structure that had that feature was my point. I’m aware there are reasons people might behave as though so much decision-making being concentrated in Open Phil is optimal. If you have knowledge there is a significant portion of the EA community who indeed sincerely believes the current structure for capital allocation being so concentrated as it is, please let me know. I would act on that, as I would see that as a ludicrous and dangerous notion for all of EA I wouldn’t think even Open Phil or Good Ventures would condone.