Emile comments on Existential Risk and Public Relations - Less Wrong

36 Post author: multifoliaterose 15 August 2010 07:16AM

You are viewing a comment permalink. View the original post to see all comments and the full post content.

Comments (613)

You are viewing a single comment's thread. Show more comments above.

Comment author: [deleted] 16 August 2010 12:37:09AM 6 points [-]
  1. Technology X is likely to be developed in a few decades.
  2. Technology X is risky.
  3. We must take steps to mitigate the risk.

If you haven't demonstrated 1 -- if it's still unknown -- you can't expect me to believe 3. The burden of proof is on whoever's asking for money for a new risk-mitigating venture, to give strong evidence that the risk is real.

Comment author: Aleksei_Riikonen 16 August 2010 01:35:58AM *  4 points [-]

So you think a danger needs to likely arrive in a few decades for it to merit attention?

I think that is quite irresponsible. No law of physics states that all problems can certainly be solved very well in a few decades (the solutions for some problems might even necessarily involve political components, btw), so starting preparations earlier can be necessary.