15
To what extent did Eliezer Yudkowsky invent the Effective Altruist movement? (forum.effectivealtruism.org)
submitted 11 months ago by GorillasAreForEating@awful.systems to c/sneerclub@awful.systems
12 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I was wondering if someone here has a better idea of how EA developed in its early days than I do.

Judging by the link I posted, it seems like Yudkowsky used the term "effective altruist" years before Will MacAskill or Peter Singer adopted it. The link doesn't mention this explicitly, but Will MacAskill was also a lesswrong user, so it seems at least plausible that Yudkowsky is the true father of the movement.

I want to sort this out because I've noticed that a recently lot of EAs have been downplaying the AI and longtermist elements within the movement and talking more about Peter Singer as the movement's founder. By contrast the impression I get about EA's founding based on what I know is that EA started with Yudkowsky and then MacAskill, with Peter Singer only getting involved later. Is my impression mistaken?

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[-] Shitgenstein1@awful.systems 6 points 11 months ago

Speaking of Big Yud, has there been any new developments with him since the fallout of his Time Magazine article in March? Not like there's been any international coalition to first strike rogue data centers or whatever. Everyone just kind of ignored him?

[-] GorillasAreForEating@awful.systems 5 points 11 months ago

He's been doing interviews on podcasts. The NYT also recently listed "internet philosopher" Eliezer Yudkowsky as one of the key figures of the modern artificial intelligence movement.

Sadly he did not wear a fedora in his official NYT picture

[-] Soyweiser@awful.systems 4 points 11 months ago

Well you need motive and the ability to follow up on your threats(*) for it to be a real threat and he certainly lacks the latter. We also have a tendency to ignore the people who have the former while they do not have the latter until it is too late. (Some of my recent Dutch elections doomerism might be influencing this message).

*: if you are privileged in society.

this post was submitted on 05 Dec 2023
15 points (100.0% liked)

SneerClub

983 readers
20 users here now

Hurling ordure at the TREACLES, especially those closely related to LessWrong.

AI-Industrial-Complex grift is fine as long as it sufficiently relates to the AI doom from the TREACLES. (Though TechTakes may be more suitable.)

This is sneer club, not debate club. Unless it's amusing debate.

[Especially don't debate the race scientists, if any sneak in - we ban and delete them as unsuitable for the server.]

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
self@awful.systems
blakestacey@awful.systems
dgerard@awful.systems