But the list does help us to point out what we consider to be on-topic in this forum. Besides the topics mentioned there, other relevant subjects include groundwork for self-modifying agents, abstract properties of goal systems, tractable theoretical or computational models of the topics above, and anything else that is directly connected to MIRI’s research mission.
It’s important for us to keep the forum focused, though; there are other good places to talk about subjects that are more indirectly related to MIRI’s research mission, and the moderators here may close down discussions on subjects that aren’t a good fit for this mission. Some examples of subjects that we would consider off-topic (unless directly applied to a more relevant area) include general advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning, general mathematical logic, general philosophy of mind, general futurism, existential risks, effective altruism, human rationality, and non-technical philosophizing.
In particular, it now discourages “general advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning”, and discourages “non-technical philosophizing” rather than “anything that cannot (yet) be usefully formalized or modeled mathematically”. Is this an improvement?
I’ve edited it to the following:
In particular, it now discourages “general advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning”, and discourages “non-technical philosophizing” rather than “anything that cannot (yet) be usefully formalized or modeled mathematically”. Is this an improvement?