How is doing research at Open Philanthropy different from doing research in academia? To make things concrete, how would the work of someone doing economic modelling or ML research in academia differ from typical research at OpenPhil?
Comparing to academia, I’d say that research at Open Phil is (1) consistently targeted at what will help us do as much good as possible rather than what is most intellectually interesting or prestigious, (2) aimed at informing our actions as cheaply as possible, meaning that we cut corners when we don’t think doing so will change our bottom-line conclusions, rather than trying to live up to the standards for thoroughness etc. expected in academia, and (3) only aimed at what academia would consider “novel research” when that’s what is required to help us do the most good.
Wow. Working at Open Phil sounds like a dream compared to academia. You’ve identified three things I spend huge amounts of time doing as part of my research and find intensely irritatingly.
How is doing research at Open Philanthropy different from doing research in academia? To make things concrete, how would the work of someone doing economic modelling or ML research in academia differ from typical research at OpenPhil?
(I work for Open Phil.)
Comparing to academia, I’d say that research at Open Phil is (1) consistently targeted at what will help us do as much good as possible rather than what is most intellectually interesting or prestigious, (2) aimed at informing our actions as cheaply as possible, meaning that we cut corners when we don’t think doing so will change our bottom-line conclusions, rather than trying to live up to the standards for thoroughness etc. expected in academia, and (3) only aimed at what academia would consider “novel research” when that’s what is required to help us do the most good.
Wow. Working at Open Phil sounds like a dream compared to academia. You’ve identified three things I spend huge amounts of time doing as part of my research and find intensely irritatingly.