Sorry, I see you already mentioned a few of these points in the piece.
Yes, I think part of the reason to get hands-on is instrumental, but I think the direct value of doing so is relevant too. Eventually someone has to do the work, and while I do think the value of an EA’s labor is often higher than that of other smart people, I don’t think it’s vastly higher. At some point, somebody needs to do the work. I think it’s often good to try some stuff now, see how the situation looks, and then keep working on the more promising areas. That investigation work is not wasted if it’s shared publicly. As long as you don’t get mired too long in a highly narrow focus, you should be ok.
Sorry, I see you already mentioned a few of these points in the piece.
Yes, I think part of the reason to get hands-on is instrumental, but I think the direct value of doing so is relevant too. Eventually someone has to do the work, and while I do think the value of an EA’s labor is often higher than that of other smart people, I don’t think it’s vastly higher. At some point, somebody needs to do the work. I think it’s often good to try some stuff now, see how the situation looks, and then keep working on the more promising areas. That investigation work is not wasted if it’s shared publicly. As long as you don’t get mired too long in a highly narrow focus, you should be ok.