A significant chunk of EAs think that while the way Bostrom said things was very wrong, discussion is allowed on this topic
Another significant chunk don’t want to be called racists or associated with a community that is open to fraught discussions that may involve viewpoints they consider racist.
This is a hard circle to square, since for both groups these are key points (intellectual openness and psychological safe/lack of racism).
I think this is a solvable problem, but I don’t know what the solution is. Does anyone have any thoughts?
Recognizing that there are two groups, both with legitimate concerns, is a good start.
I don’t see any way around the need to communicate. I think some people view their opinion as so clearly right that little explanation is necessary. Here’s an old essay arguing that the modern world doesn’t work that way — not even on EA forum!
It seems the key points here are thus:
A significant chunk of EAs think that while the way Bostrom said things was very wrong, discussion is allowed on this topic
Another significant chunk don’t want to be called racists or associated with a community that is open to fraught discussions that may involve viewpoints they consider racist.
This is a hard circle to square, since for both groups these are key points (intellectual openness and psychological safe/lack of racism).
I think this is a solvable problem, but I don’t know what the solution is. Does anyone have any thoughts?
Recognizing that there are two groups, both with legitimate concerns, is a good start.
I don’t see any way around the need to communicate. I think some people view their opinion as so clearly right that little explanation is necessary. Here’s an old essay arguing that the modern world doesn’t work that way — not even on EA forum!