I think the value of higher quality and more information in terms of wild animal suffering will still be a net positive, meaning that funding research in WAS could be highly valuable. I say ‘could’ only because something else might still be more valuable. But if, on expected value, it seems like the best thing to do, the uncertainties shouldn’t put us off too much, if at all.
I think the value of higher quality and more information in terms of wild animal suffering will still be a net positive, meaning that funding research in WAS could be highly valuable. I say ‘could’ only because something else might still be more valuable. But if, on expected value, it seems like the best thing to do, the uncertainties shouldn’t put us off too much, if at all.
Yes, I agree that WAS research has a high expected value. My point was that it has a non-trivial probability (say, >10%) of being harmful.