Unless there are strategic concerns I don’t fully understand I second this. I cringe a little every time I see such goal-descriptions.
Personally I would argue that the issue of largest moral concern is ensuring that new beings that can have good experiences and have a meaningful existence are put into existence, as the quality and quantity of consciousness experienced by such not-yet-existant beings could dwarf what is experienced by currently existing beings on our small planet.
I understand that MIRI doesn’t want to take stance on all controversial ethical issues, but I would also wonder if MIRI has considered replacing “a positive impact on humanity” with “a positive impact on humanity and …”, e.g. “a positive impact on humanity and other sentient beings” or “a positive impact on humanity and the universe”.
Unless there are strategic concerns I don’t fully understand I second this. I cringe a little every time I see such goal-descriptions.
Personally I would argue that the issue of largest moral concern is ensuring that new beings that can have good experiences and have a meaningful existence are put into existence, as the quality and quantity of consciousness experienced by such not-yet-existant beings could dwarf what is experienced by currently existing beings on our small planet.
I understand that MIRI doesn’t want to take stance on all controversial ethical issues, but I would also wonder if MIRI has considered replacing “a positive impact on humanity” with “a positive impact on humanity and …”, e.g. “a positive impact on humanity and other sentient beings” or “a positive impact on humanity and the universe”.