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gwern comments on Comparative and absolute advantage in AI - Less Wrong Discussion

18 Post author: Stuart_Armstrong 16 July 2013 09:52AM

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Tags: risk economics comparative_advantage ai

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Comment author: gwern 18 July 2013 03:59:31PM 0 points [-]

If quality standards are so difficult to enforce, is it reasonable to say that the Chinese-sourced version of a widget is better?

Yes, because they're still doing it. Revealed preferences say that, even in taking into account all the downsides of doing business in China such as your laundry list there, doing business in China is still overall more profitable.

Comment author: Stuart_Armstrong 19 July 2013 07:54:24AM 0 points [-]

I agree with your point, but the revealed preferences argument is very weak with rationally uniformed customers at the final end of the chain.

Comment author: [deleted] 18 July 2013 05:49:54PM 0 points [-]

I'm not arguing it isn't profitable. The claim was "cheaper and better", and my argument was "not better."

Comment author: gwern 18 July 2013 06:00:04PM -1 points [-]

If the more expensive 'better' isn't worth paying for, then it's not better.

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