An effective altruist could probably very efficiently go about increasing the joy in the probability space for all humans by offering wireheading to a random human as resources permit, but it doesn’t do much for people who are proximately experiencing suffering for other reasons. I instinctively think that this wireheading example is an incorrect application of effective altruism, but I do think it is analagous to the ‘overall space is good’ argument.
Do you support assisted suicide for individuals incarcerated in hell simulations, or with a high probability of being placed into one subsequent to upload? For example, if a government develops a practice of execution followed by torment-simulation, would you support delivering the gift of secure deletion to the condemned?
I think I am addressing most of your position in this post here in response to HungryHobo: http://lesswrong.com/lw/os7/unethical_human_behavior_incentivised_by/dqfi And also the ‘overall probability space’ was mentioned by RobinHanson, and I addressed that in a comment too: http://lesswrong.com/lw/os7/unethical_human_behavior_incentivised_by/dq6x
Thank you for the thoughtful responses!
An effective altruist could probably very efficiently go about increasing the joy in the probability space for all humans by offering wireheading to a random human as resources permit, but it doesn’t do much for people who are proximately experiencing suffering for other reasons. I instinctively think that this wireheading example is an incorrect application of effective altruism, but I do think it is analagous to the ‘overall space is good’ argument.
Do you support assisted suicide for individuals incarcerated in hell simulations, or with a high probability of being placed into one subsequent to upload? For example, if a government develops a practice of execution followed by torment-simulation, would you support delivering the gift of secure deletion to the condemned?