Hi, Steve. I’m an EA and also a neuroscience PhD student who studies astrocytes. As you might imagine, I totally agree that neuroscience perspectives are valuable for EA decisions. It’s dismaying to me that physical and computer scientists are so well-represented in EA, but there are so few life scientists. I’m trying to figure out why this might be. Any ideas?
Regarding the ethics of animal experiments, I’m working on a project to create educational materials about the importance of environmental enrichment (IMHO the most important welfare issue for laboratory animals). I’ve actually applied to EA Grants for funding to create a website aimed at educating life scientists about this issue.
On the topic of astrocytes, you’ll be happy to know that I asked Adam Marblestone about glia after his talk at EA Global in Boston. :) https://youtu.be/0eX1UqMmaLM?t=21m27s
How much weight do you give to the self-reports of long-term meditation practitioners on their experience of consciousness? Do they have a privileged perspective on the true nature of conscious experience?