Best to read the link first and my comments later.
I have very little to comment on the topic itself, but I do find it odd that Robin takes such a confrontational stance, beginning from the first sentence "It has come to my attention that some think that by now I should have commented on Carl Shulman’s em paper" and culminating with a harsh analysis not only of Carl's conclusions, but about what (Robin believes) made him want to reach those conclusions, as well as SIAI's mission statement in general. There is negative framing, "obsession with making a god to rule us all (well)", that I wouldn't expect from someone trying to honestly represent the other side. It's not that I don't share some of those concerns, but to psychoanalyse (who you seem to have identified as) your opponent in an obvious effort to discredit, is at the very least unfair. I was generally aware that there was some kind of tension between the former dynamic duo of Hanson - Yudkowsky, but it seems to have become full-blown hostility.
Robin does seem to find the courage to say he's glad others are looking into emulations, but the overall vibe I get is of someone protective of a research field they believe they uniquely 'get', someone who feels others should just get in line or get out of the ring, and it's a vibe not uncommon in academia.
I don't presume that brain emulation will come first and be significant, and indeed think that it probably won't. The paper explored some issues relevant conditional on that turning out to happen anyway, including some that can be generalized to non brain emulation scenarios.
Regarding Malthusian competition, check out "burning the cosmic commons".
The monopolies commission you describe would be a singleton under Bostrom's account, capable of overcoming any local challenge to its authority.
OK, good to know. The idea in the paper is attributed to "Many scientists".
Yes, I am familiar with that. If you don't like what natural selection offers, one wonders just how slow, bloated and inefficient a civilisation is considered to be desirable - and how much of it would survive eventual contact with aliens.
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