(1) Determining the “neutral” consumption level, i.e. the level of consumption that (on average) makes a human life on the borderline of worth living. In the base model, this is assumed to be the absolute extreme poverty level of $1.90 per day.
(2) Determining what level of consumption would yield experiences on a par with those of an average factory-farmed animal. In the base model, this is assumed to be below the neutral level (so: a negative existence), specifically $1 per day. Basically a made-up number, but—interestingly—varying this doesn’t make a huge difference to the verdict that beef > chicken so long as you pick a value below the neutral level of consumption.
iirc, a couple of the key parameters are:
(1) Determining the “neutral” consumption level, i.e. the level of consumption that (on average) makes a human life on the borderline of worth living. In the base model, this is assumed to be the absolute extreme poverty level of $1.90 per day.
(2) Determining what level of consumption would yield experiences on a par with those of an average factory-farmed animal. In the base model, this is assumed to be below the neutral level (so: a negative existence), specifically $1 per day. Basically a made-up number, but—interestingly—varying this doesn’t make a huge difference to the verdict that beef > chicken so long as you pick a value below the neutral level of consumption.