Given the differing intuitions, I think the approach that HLI has done with its recent charity evaluations is pretty useful: assuming that existence and non-existence are comparable (which is a significant assumption), how would the comparative effectiveness on wellbeing interventions differ based on where on a 0-10 scale would one place the neutral point?
There’s no slam-dunk either way that I’m aware of. The closest example irl I’ve seen is the issue of cluster headaches—some people who have it question whether life is worth living with the condition. https://www.happierlivesinstitute.org/report/global-priority-pain/
Given the differing intuitions, I think the approach that HLI has done with its recent charity evaluations is pretty useful: assuming that existence and non-existence are comparable (which is a significant assumption), how would the comparative effectiveness on wellbeing interventions differ based on where on a 0-10 scale would one place the neutral point?
https://www.happierlivesinstitute.org/2022/11/24/2022-charity-recommendation/
https://www.happierlivesinstitute.org/key-ideas/#5_Will_our_priorities_change