I think it goes both ways. As you said, knowing “trees comes from air” may just be an irrelevant fact for solving hard problems. I think that the specific questions you make in the post are similar, not in that they are irrelevant facts, but they are motivational questions that may not hinder one’s ability to solve hard challenges in AI safety. Of course, it might be better to have a solid motivation for AI safety research, as it can better help you solve the problems.
I will correlate personal motivation to the irrelevant subject-specific facts, in that, in exceptional cases, these facts may prove to be useful. Similarly, in some cases, solid personal motivation may put you in a stronger position than those without.
I think it goes both ways. As you said, knowing “trees comes from air” may just be an irrelevant fact for solving hard problems. I think that the specific questions you make in the post are similar, not in that they are irrelevant facts, but they are motivational questions that may not hinder one’s ability to solve hard challenges in AI safety. Of course, it might be better to have a solid motivation for AI safety research, as it can better help you solve the problems.
I will correlate personal motivation to the irrelevant subject-specific facts, in that, in exceptional cases, these facts may prove to be useful. Similarly, in some cases, solid personal motivation may put you in a stronger position than those without.