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Future of Humanity Institute shuts down

futureofhumanityinstitute.org

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Re: Future of Humanity Institute shuts down

#11
This 2023 incident around founder Nick Bostrom may have something to do with it:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Bostrom#1996_email_contro...

From the wikipedia article:

> In January 2023, Bostrom issued an apology for a 1996 email where he had stated that he thought "Blacks are more stupid than whites", and where he also used the word "niggers" in a description of how he thought this statement might be perceived by others. The apology, posted on his website, stated that "the invocation of a racial slur was repulsive" and that he "completely repudiate[d] this disgusting email". In his apology, he wrote “I think it is deeply unfair that unequal access to education, nutrients and basic healthcare leads to inequality in social outcomes, including sometimes disparities in skills and cognitive capacity.”

Edit: also adding the second paragraph from Wikipedia to avoid accusations of smearing:

> In January 2023, Oxford University told The Daily Beast, "The University and Faculty of Philosophy is currently investigating the matter but condemns in the strongest terms possible the views this particular academic expressed in his communications." In August 2023, the investigation concluded (according to a letter Bostrom posted on his website) that "we do not consider [Bostrom] to be a racist or that [he holds] racist views, and we consider that the apology [he] posted in January 2023 was sincere."

Another member of this institute was effective altruist William MacAskill, who has appeared in media in 2023 in this context: "Sam Bankman-Fried and Will MacAskill weren't just philosophical allies. They were old friends."

https://time.com/6262810/sam-bankman-fried-effective-altruis...

From the OP:

> In late 2023, the Faculty of Philosophy decided that the contracts of the remaining FHI staff would not be renewed. On 16 April 2024, the Institute was closed down.

I'm just speculating, but it stands to reason that the Institute became a PR net negative for Oxford (or this specific Faculty).

Re: Future of Humanity Institute shuts down

#14
post #11

This 2023 incident around founder Nick Bostrom may have something to do with it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Bostrom#1996_email_contro... From the wikipedia article: > In January 2023, Bostrom issued an apology for a 1996 email where he had stated that he thought "Blacks are more stupid than whites", and where he also used the word "niggers" in a description of how he thought this statement might be perceived…

FHI/Bostrom's relationship with the university was damaged for years before the apology email.

They'd already frozen funding and hiring years earlier which means their issues go back even further than that.

Re: Future of Humanity Institute shuts down

#15
post #11

This 2023 incident around founder Nick Bostrom may have something to do with it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Bostrom#1996_email_contro... From the wikipedia article: > In January 2023, Bostrom issued an apology for a 1996 email where he had stated that he thought "Blacks are more stupid than whites", and where he also used the word "niggers" in a description of how he thought this statement might be perceived…

Wow, that's disgusting

Re: Future of Humanity Institute shuts down

#16
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or because Nick Bostrom is a hack. Together with Max Tegmark . Not to mention Ray Kurzweil. Initially wrote wrong surname.

You mean Max Tegmark? I mean, some of their ideas are way out there, and obviously if not tempered can lead to bad consequences (e.g. SBF/FTX). But a hack?

[deleted]

Re: Future of Humanity Institute shuts down

#17
post #11

This 2023 incident around founder Nick Bostrom may have something to do with it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Bostrom#1996_email_contro... From the wikipedia article: > In January 2023, Bostrom issued an apology for a 1996 email where he had stated that he thought "Blacks are more stupid than whites", and where he also used the word "niggers" in a description of how he thought this statement might be perceived…

They may also be insolvent due to FTX bankruptcy clawing back grants.

Re: Future of Humanity Institute shuts down

#18
Seems the incompetent and curiously hostile Philosophy Faculty at Oxford killed FHI.

> While FHI had achieved significant academic and policy impact, the final years were affected by a gradual suffocation by Faculty bureaucracy. The flexible, fast-moving approach of the institute did not function well with the rigid rules and slow decision-making of the surrounding organization. (One of our administrators developed a joke measurement unit, “the Oxford”. 1 Oxford is the amount of work it takes to read and write 308 emails. This is the actual administrative effort it took for FHI to have a small grant disbursed into its account within the Philosophy Faculty so that we could start using it - after both the funder and the University had already approved the grant.) Starting in 2020, the Faculty imposed a freeze on fundraising and hiring. Unfortunately, this led to the eventual loss of lead researchers and especially the promising and diverse cohort of junior researchers, who have gone on to great things in the years since. While building an impressive alumni network and ecosystem of new nonprofits, these departures severely reduced the Institute. In late 2023, the Faculty of Philosophy announced that the contracts of the remaining FHI staff would not be renewed. On 16 April 2024, the Institute was closed down.

Re: Future of Humanity Institute shuts down

#19
post #4

Curious as to why they didn't explore independence, moving from Oxford to a separate non-profit org. Getting funded doesn't seem impossible given the amount of high-profile e/acc advocates.

I think you are confusing EA and e/acc. EA was about billionaires defrauding the population who entrusted them with their money to give away to whatever cause was deemed best by the current "scientific" consensus in EA. Causes can include things like the suffering of fish or AI ending the known universe.

e/acc is about doing capitalism so hard so that AI will solve every problem.

Re: Future of Humanity Institute shuts down

#20
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or because Nick Bostrom is a hack. Together with Max Tegmark . Not to mention Ray Kurzweil. Initially wrote wrong surname.

You mean Max Tegmark? I mean, some of their ideas are way out there, and obviously if not tempered can lead to bad consequences (e.g. SBF/FTX). But a hack?

Laying SBF at the feet of effective altruism is more than a little silly. It'd be similar to associating the Democratic National Party with Bernie Madoff, or Epstein with any of the universities and foundations he donated to.

One of the things criminals do to hide their activity, assuage their guilt, or put on a good show is associate with legitimate organizations. Social organizations typically don't and probably shouldn't do intrusive investigations into the lives and activities of their members sufficient to uncover their crimes.

When such organizations learn of any benefits accrued through the illegal activities of members, there are obviously moral and sometimes legal requirements to disassociate, disavow, and return ill-gotten funds.

Tegmark and Bostrom should be no means be tainted by association with EA. Their ideas and work on AI alignment and safety are excellent, and they ask the questions that should be answered as AI starts to reach human levels of competence and beyond.

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