Future of Humanity Institute shuts down

Post by johngossman » Wed, Apr 17, 2024, 4:09 PM UTC

observationist wrote: post #20

FabHK wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 sh…

Post by shafyy » Wed, Apr 17, 2024, 4:13 PM UTC

exo-pla-net wrote: post #23

Maro wrote: 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…

This is a smear taken out of context. What Bostrom actually had to say is both accurate and mild: > “I have always liked the uncompromisingly objective way of thinking and speaking: the more counterintuitive and repugnant a formulation, the more it appeals to me given that it is logically correct,” the quoted excerpt begins. “Take for example the following sentence: Blacks are more stupid than whites. I like that sen…

Post by esafak » Wed, Apr 17, 2024, 4:14 PM UTC

constantcrying wrote: post #19

patrulo wrote: 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.

Post by polygamous_bat » Wed, Apr 17, 2024, 4:16 PM UTC

exo-pla-net wrote: post #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…

Post by setgree » Wed, Apr 17, 2024, 4:18 PM UTC

exo-pla-net wrote: post #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…