This is a linkpost for http://curi.us/2065-open-letter-to-machine-intelligence-research-institute
I'm not interested in putting forward a positive claim of extremeness (I prefer other phrasing, e.g. that I'm making big, important claims with major implications), but I'm also not very interested in denying it. I hope we can agree that accusations of "extremism" are not critical arguments and are commonly used as a smear. I like Ayn Rand's essay on this: https://campus.aynrand.org/works/1964/09/01/extremism-or-the-art-of-smearing/page1
As to extreme measures: I absolutely do not advocate the initiation of force. But I'm willing to make intellectual arguments which some people deem "extreme", and I'm willing to take the step (which seems to be extreme by some people's standards) of saying unpopular things that get me ridiculed by some people.
accusations of "extremism" are not critical arguments
Of course they are not. But such perceptions have consequences for those who are not hermits or safely ensconced in an ivory tower. If you want to persuade (and you do, don't you?) the common people, getting labeled as an extremist is not particularly helpful.