On whether the decision has been made to do ‘narrow EA’ as opposed to ‘global EA’, I also have the impression that this is what leaders such as those on the longtermist CB team at OP have decided. I think this decision has been made on the basis of research such as this. I also agree that more transparency on this would have some benefits.
The decision to go for ‘narrow EA’ seems to go against most of the social change research I’m familiar with, which usually stresses the importance of both ‘inside track’ and ‘outside track’ interventions. But I’m not sure how much weight to give this research.
My gut feeling is that, putting to one side the question of which is the most effective strategy for reducing x-risk etc., the ‘narrow EA’ strategy is a mistake because there’s a good chance it is unethical to try to guide society without broader societal participation.
In other words, if MacAskill argues here we should get our shit together first and then either a) collectively decide on a way forward or b) allow for everyone to make their own way forward, I think it’s also important that ‘the getting our shit together’ has broad societal participation.
My gut feeling is that, putting to one side the question of which is the most effective strategy for reducing x-risk etc., the ‘narrow EA’ strategy is a mistake because there’s a good chance it is unethical to try to guide society without broader societal participation.
I suppose it depends on how much of an emergency you consider the current situation to be.
If you think it’s truly a dire situation, I expect almost no-one would reason as follows: “Well, we’re insufficiently diverse, it’d be immoral for us to do anything, we should just sit over here and wait for the end of the world”.
I suspect that, at least in these circumstances, a more productive lens is the lens of responsibility, where those who are afforded disproportionate influence are responsible to use it for the good of all and to strive to be conscious of potential blindspots due to selection biases.
Just to clarify, the above paragraphs are an argument against “it is unethical to try to guide society without broader societal participation” rather than an argument for narrow EA. I support the latter as well, but I haven’t made an argument for it here.
Yeah good point! I’m super cautious about this line of reasoning because, given high enough certainty about the seriousness of the situation, it can be used to justify almost anything.
Great post!
On whether the decision has been made to do ‘narrow EA’ as opposed to ‘global EA’, I also have the impression that this is what leaders such as those on the longtermist CB team at OP have decided. I think this decision has been made on the basis of research such as this. I also agree that more transparency on this would have some benefits.
The decision to go for ‘narrow EA’ seems to go against most of the social change research I’m familiar with, which usually stresses the importance of both ‘inside track’ and ‘outside track’ interventions. But I’m not sure how much weight to give this research.
My gut feeling is that, putting to one side the question of which is the most effective strategy for reducing x-risk etc., the ‘narrow EA’ strategy is a mistake because there’s a good chance it is unethical to try to guide society without broader societal participation.
In other words, if MacAskill argues here we should get our shit together first and then either a) collectively decide on a way forward or b) allow for everyone to make their own way forward, I think it’s also important that ‘the getting our shit together’ has broad societal participation.
I suppose it depends on how much of an emergency you consider the current situation to be.
If you think it’s truly a dire situation, I expect almost no-one would reason as follows: “Well, we’re insufficiently diverse, it’d be immoral for us to do anything, we should just sit over here and wait for the end of the world”.
I suspect that, at least in these circumstances, a more productive lens is the lens of responsibility, where those who are afforded disproportionate influence are responsible to use it for the good of all and to strive to be conscious of potential blindspots due to selection biases.
Just to clarify, the above paragraphs are an argument against “it is unethical to try to guide society without broader societal participation” rather than an argument for narrow EA. I support the latter as well, but I haven’t made an argument for it here.
Yeah good point! I’m super cautious about this line of reasoning because, given high enough certainty about the seriousness of the situation, it can be used to justify almost anything.