I agree doing grant-making using the methodology and style used in the public sphere doesn’t make sense when our goals don’t necessarily entail using the standards reserved for funding things in the public interest. I don’t think it’s in the interest of the EA community itself to hold Open Phil specifically to these standards as a private organization. However, Open Phil as an organization still identifies as part of the effective altruism movement, entailing holding them to the standards of the movement.
While Open Phil may not expect to be able to fully justify themselves in writing, and won’t avoid superficially appearing overconfident and underinformed doesn’t mean the rest of EA can’t differently evaluate them. Effective altruists are free to criticize Open Phil for taking too much risk in being actually uninformed and overconfident, based in part on a judgement they aren’t being transparent enough. So while Open Phil may form its policies with not only the effective altruism movement but the whole public in mind, EA can still function as a special interest which demands more from Open Phil regardless. If other effective altruists believe Open Phil isn’t being transparent enough regardless of Open Phil’s own self-evaluation, they should bring that up.
I agree doing grant-making using the methodology and style used in the public sphere doesn’t make sense when our goals don’t necessarily entail using the standards reserved for funding things in the public interest. I don’t think it’s in the interest of the EA community itself to hold Open Phil specifically to these standards as a private organization. However, Open Phil as an organization still identifies as part of the effective altruism movement, entailing holding them to the standards of the movement.
While Open Phil may not expect to be able to fully justify themselves in writing, and won’t avoid superficially appearing overconfident and underinformed doesn’t mean the rest of EA can’t differently evaluate them. Effective altruists are free to criticize Open Phil for taking too much risk in being actually uninformed and overconfident, based in part on a judgement they aren’t being transparent enough. So while Open Phil may form its policies with not only the effective altruism movement but the whole public in mind, EA can still function as a special interest which demands more from Open Phil regardless. If other effective altruists believe Open Phil isn’t being transparent enough regardless of Open Phil’s own self-evaluation, they should bring that up.