[ExI] What are among the world's most important problems to solve, why?

[William Flynn Wallace]

see below Anders' post for my post

On Sat, Jul 9, 2016 at 8:36 AM, Anders Sandberg <anders at aleph.se> wrote:

> Thinking about what is most important is actually one of the more
> important parts of my job :-) However, there is a difference between
> something that is intrinsically valuable and important to strive for (say
> finding and doing The Meaning of Life) and what you should be prioritizing
> *right now* (like getting out of the way of a speeding car, or reducing
> existential risk).
>
> Nick Bostrom's "little theory of problems" puts it nicely:
>
>    - There are many problems in the world. Not all of them ought to be
>    solved.
>    - Important problems are those for which the value of a solution is
>    either large and positive or large and negative.
>    - Not all important problems ought to be solved.
>    - We can distinguish positive-value problems (some of which are
>    high-value, others low-value) from negative-value problems.
>    - Not all important positive-value problems ought to be addressed.
>    - Elastic problems are those whose solution can be found significantly
>    sooner with one extra unit of effort.
>    - We ought to address high-value high-elasticity problems.
>    - “Discoveries” are acts that move the arrival of some information
>    from a later point in time to an earlier point in time.
>    - The value of a discovery does not equal the value of the solution
>    discovered. The value of a discovery equals the value of having the
>    solution moved from the later time at it would otherwise have arrived to
>    the time of the discovery.
>
> ― Nick Bostrom
>
> So, of the problems at the Infinity Project, which ones are high-value
> high-elasticity problems where we benefit from getting the result early?
>
> Below, I went through a few pages of problems (so this is not complete)
> and gave a quick-and-dirty evaluation on this based on my views. If we then
> regard "low=1", "moderate=2" and "high=3" and multiply them together we can
> get a rough prioritization. So my top choices would be superintelligence,
> pandemics, electronics risk and life extension, followed by world hunger,
> academic papers, getting to LEO and safe cars.
>
> Evaluations
>
> No-suffering economic system: moderate value, low elasticity, low benefit
> early arrival: 2
>
> Safe cars: moderate+ value, high elasticity, moderate early arrival: 12
>
> Bacterial computer: low, moderate, low: 2
>
> Transparency: moderate, low, low: 2
>
> Risk adjustment: moderate, moderate, moderate: 8
>
> Superintelligence: high, moderate, high: 18
>
> Life extension: high, moderate, low/high (depending on whether you count
> your utility): 12,18
>
> Mind recovery: high, low, low: 3
>
> World hunger: high, moderate, moderate: 12
>
> Conference collection: low -, high, moderate: 6
>
> Content reusability: low, moderate, low: 2
>
> Cryoprotectant: low, moderate, moderate: 4
>
> Incentivizing breakthroughs: moderate, moderate, moderate: 8
>
> Realising potential: moderate, low, low: 2
>
> Track personal energy: low, high, low: 3
>
> Schizophrenia: moderate, low, low: 2
>
> Realizing ideas: low, low, low: 1
>
> Understanding: low, low, low: 1
>
> Brain preservation: moderate, moderate, moderate: 8
>
> Academic papers: moderate, high, moderate: 12
>
> Wild animal suffering: high, low, moderate: 6
>
> Sharing code: low, high, low: 3
>
> Filmmaking: low, low, low: 1
>
> Synchronization: low, high, low: 3
>
> GRBs: low, low, low: 1 (GRBs are very rare)
>
> Climate change: moderate, moderate, moderate: 8
>
> LEO: high, moderate, moderate: 12
>
> Electronics risk: moderate, high, high: 18
>
> Superintelligence: high, moderate, high: 18
>
> Pandemic: high, moderate, high: 18
>
> Waits: low, moderate, low: 2
>
> Brain health: low, high, low: 3
>
> Book writing: low, moderate, low: 2
>
> Dr Anders Sandberg
> Future of Humanity Institute
> Oxford Martin School
> Oxford University
>
>
​Yes, there is a difference between a puzzle and a problem, but where are
the guidelines here?  Why not solve all important problems?  ???  If they
weren't interfering with the human race they would not be called
important.  Some explication is needed here.

I would add two to this list:  pollution, and bacteria super-resistant to​

​antibiotics​.

Bill w

>
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