• Increasing the number of research bets: additional independent research might increase the number of research directions being pursued. After all, as independent researchers individuals have more agency over deciding which research agendas to pursue. Pursuing more research bets could be very beneficial in this pre-paradigmatic field.
But independent researchers are not obliged to craft their own theories, of course, they could work within existing established frameworks (and collaborate with other researchers who work in these frameworks), just be organisationally independent.
I somewhat disagree this is a good idea to increase the number of “bets”, where a “bet” is taken as an idiosyncratic framework or a theory. I explained this position here: https://www.alignmentforum.org/posts/FnwqLB7A9PenRdg4Z/for-alignment-we-should-simultaneously-use-multiple-theories#Creating_as_many_new_conceptual_approaches_to_alignment_as_possible__No and also touched upon it and discussed it with Ryan Kidd in the comments to this post: https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/bRtP7Mub3hXAoo4vQ/an-open-letter-to-seri-mats-program-organisers.
But independent researchers are not obliged to craft their own theories, of course, they could work within existing established frameworks (and collaborate with other researchers who work in these frameworks), just be organisationally independent.
Thanks for sharing! I skimmed through the things you linked but will read it in more detail soon