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Mitchell_Porter comments on On Leverage Research's plan for an optimal world - Less Wrong Discussion

25 Post author: Mitchell_Porter 10 January 2012 09:49AM

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Comment author: Mitchell_Porter 11 January 2012 01:33:21AM 1 point [-]

the extraordinary good will and responsibility needed to do the right thing

What are you referring to?

Comment author: Nisan 11 January 2012 03:16:19AM 4 points [-]

I believe that (1) many powerful people do wicked and irresponsible things, and many more do wicked and irresponsible things by failing to act; and (2) they do so not by ignorance; and (3) if they are to do unwicked and responsible things, they would need a certain sense of right and wrong, and a certain ability to act on that sense. I can be more specific if you like.

Now that I write this, it occurs to me that although it seems like most powerful people do wicked things, there might be a selection effect going on, and I might be surprised by the proportion of powerful people doing good.