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>The researchers say their aim is not to make the insects extinct but to help stop the spread of malaria. Nothing ever matters less than your, "aim". Intentio
by StanislavPetrov 7y ago
>The researchers say their aim is not to make the insects extinct but to help stop the spread of malaria.
Nothing ever matters less than your, "aim". Intentions are massively overrated. What matters are the actual effects as measured in objective reality. One of the many reasons society is the toilet that it is is because so many judge initiatives and propsals on what they are "intended" to do or what the "aim" of a proposed action is. The Inquisitor who burns you alive because he intends to purify your soul is just as bad as psycho who burns you at the stake because he wants to watch you burn.
- bayesian_horse 7y agoThe fungus they use is already widespread in nature. Their "version" is probably less well adapted to nature than the "original", and should be out-competed by the wildtype at worst. But if I understand the article correctly, the fungus is quite deadly to mosquitos, achieving "local" extinction quickly, which also stops further spreading of the fungus.
- algorias 7y agoSure, but the first step of achieving an actual effect is to aim to achieve it, then think about how to achieve that aim. I know that it's frustrating when even scientists sometimes act with naive recklessness. A prime example is when people in the social sciences or economics don't think about individuals' incentives enough. But in this case I doubt that the people in question are unaware of the risk of overshooting their target.