I was the one who asked that question!
I was slightly disappointed by his answer - surely there can only be one optimal charity to give to? The only donation strategy he recommended was giving to whichever one was about to go under.
I guess what I'm really thinking is that it's pretty unlikely that the two charities are equally optimal.
I was slightly disappointed by his answer - surely there can only be one optimal charity to give to?
It seems that argument applies primarily to well-defined goals. Do you necessarily have to view the SI and FHI as two charities? The SI is currently pursuing a wide range of sub-goals, e.g. rationality camps. I perceive the FHI to be mainly about researching existential risks in general. Clearly you should do your own research and then decide which x-risk is the most urgent one and then support its mitigation. Yet you should also reassess your decision fr...
Underground Q&A session with Nick Bostrom (http://www.nickbostrom.com) on existential risks and artificial intelligence with the Oxford Transhumanists (recorded 10 October 2011).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQeijCRJSog