Eliezer_Yudkowsky comments on Public Choice and the Altruist's Burden - Less Wrong

19 [deleted] 22 July 2010 09:34PM

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Comment author: multifoliaterose 23 July 2010 04:17:52AM 2 points [-]

Of course, the disagreement will not be tested in practice, because no one or very few will be willing to test his suggestion, seeing that such a test would be quite expensive.

Do you find my suggestion that such a test would be worth it for individual prospective donors to perform (based on expected returns considerations) unconvincing?

Comment author: Unknowns 23 July 2010 07:31:19AM 2 points [-]

I have no doubt it would be worth it. In fact, I expect you are right. Even giving a beggar $20 instead of $1 increased my happiness significantly. But due to people's selfishness, in general they will not be willing to test it even if the expected return is positive.