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This 2023 incident around founder Nick Bostrom may have something to do with it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Bostrom#1996_email_controversy https://en.w

by Maro 2y ago

This 2023 incident around founder Nick Bostrom may have something to do with it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Bostrom#1996_email_controversy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Bostrom#1996_email_contro... From the wikipedia article: > In January 2023, Bostrom issued an apology for a 1996 email where he had stated that he thought "Blacks are more stupid than whites", and where he also used the word "niggers" in a description of how he thought this statement might be perceived by others. The apology, posted on his website, stated that "the invocation of a racial slur was repulsive" and that he "completely repudiate[d] this disgusting email". In his apology, he wrote “I think it is deeply unfair that unequal access to education, nutrients and basic healthcare leads to inequality in social outcomes, including sometimes disparities in skills and cognitive capacity.” Edit: also adding the second paragraph from Wikipedia to avoid accusations of smearing: > In January 2023, Oxford University told The Daily Beast, "The University and Faculty of Philosophy is currently investigating the matter but condemns in the strongest terms possible the views this particular academic expressed in his communications." In August 2023, the investigation concluded (according to a letter Bostrom posted on his website) that "we do not consider [Bostrom] to be a racist or that [he holds] racist views, and we consider that the apology [he] posted in January 2023 was sincere." Another member of this institute was effective altruist William MacAskill, who has appeared in media in 2023 in this context: "Sam Bankman-Fried and Will MacAskill weren't just philosophical allies. They were old friends." https://time.com/6262810/sam-bankman-fried-effective-altruism-alameda-ftx/ https://time.com/6262810/sam-bankman-fried-effective-altruis... From the OP: > In late 2023, the Faculty of Philosophy decided that the contracts of the remaining FHI staff would not be renewed. On 16 April 2024, the Institute was closed down. I'm just speculating, but it stands to reason that the Institute became a PR net negative for Oxford (or this specific Faculty).

busterarm 2y ago
FHI/Bostrom's relationship with the university was damaged for years before the apology email. They'd already frozen funding and hiring years earlier which means their issues go back even further than that.
malfist 2y ago
Wow, that's disgusting
letmeinhere 2y ago
They may also be insolvent due to FTX bankruptcy clawing back grants.
helboi4 2y ago
Even the apology is sort of terrible. I'm not sure that I ever want it implied that black people have lower "cognitive capacity", whether or not it's said with recognition of social factors outside of our control. Social outcomes =/= cognitive capacity. And the causal factor here is poverty > race.
- s1artibartfast 2y ago
  Why do you jump to that conclusion? It certainly isn't implied by a literal and direct interpretation of the statement. Somewhat ironic because the quote is talking about the value of being direct.
exo-pla-net 2y ago
This is a smear taken out of context. What Bostrom actually had to say is both accurate and mild: > “I have always liked the uncompromisingly objective way of thinking and speaking: the more counterintuitive and repugnant a formulation, the more it appeals to me given that it is logically correct,” the quoted excerpt begins. “Take for example the following sentence: Blacks are more stupid than whites. I like that sentence and I think it is true. “But recently I have begun to believe that I won’t have much success with most people if I speak like that. They would think that I were a ‘racist’: that I _disliked_ black people and thought it is fair if blacks are treated badly. I don’t. It’s just that based on what I have read, I think it is probable that black people have a lower average IQ than mankind in general, and I think that IQ is highly correlated with what we normally mean by ‘smart’ and ‘stupid’. I may be wrong about the facts, but that is what the sentence means for me. For most people, however, the sentence seems to be synonymous with: ‘I hate those bloody n------!!!!”
- Maro 2y ago
  I have no agenda for or against Nick Bostrom. It's a full paragraph quote from the Wikipedia article, with a link.
  - gwern 2y ago
    Are you trying to imply that Wikipedia articles by definition have no agenda and no one quoting a Wikipedia article can have an agenda either?
    - exo-pla-net 2y ago
      gwern! FWIW, I read what you have to say in the same, careful way that I read Bostrom. You're a treasure.
- busterarm 2y ago
  It also leaves out that the university investigated and came to the seemingly-rare conclusion that the controversial statement didn't indicate that he's a racist.
karma_pharmer 2y ago
Yeah but this does not explain Starting in 2020, the Faculty imposed a freeze on fundraising and hiring (note the date) More likely the freeze and the smear have a common cause, rather than one causing the other.

by Maro 2y ago

busterarm 2y ago

FHI/Bostrom's relationship with the university was damaged for years before the apology email. They'd already frozen funding and hiring years earlier which means their issues go back even further than that.

malfist 2y ago

Wow, that's disgusting

letmeinhere 2y ago

They may also be insolvent due to FTX bankruptcy clawing back grants.

helboi4 2y ago

Even the apology is sort of terrible. I'm not sure that I ever want it implied that black people have lower "cognitive capacity", whether or not it's said with recognition of social factors outside of our control. Social outcomes =/= cognitive capacity. And the causal factor here is poverty > race.

s1artibartfast 2y ago
Why do you jump to that conclusion? It certainly isn't implied by a literal and direct interpretation of the statement. Somewhat ironic because the quote is talking about the value of being direct.

exo-pla-net 2y ago

This is a smear taken out of context. What Bostrom actually had to say is both accurate and mild: > “I have always liked the uncompromisingly objective way of thinking and speaking: the more counterintuitive and repugnant a formulation, the more it appeals to me given that it is logically correct,” the quoted excerpt begins. “Take for example the following sentence: Blacks are more stupid than whites. I like that sentence and I think it is true. “But recently I have begun to believe that I won’t have much success with most people if I speak like that. They would think that I were a ‘racist’: that I _disliked_ black people and thought it is fair if blacks are treated badly. I don’t. It’s just that based on what I have read, I think it is probable that black people have a lower average IQ than mankind in general, and I think that IQ is highly correlated with what we normally mean by ‘smart’ and ‘stupid’. I may be wrong about the facts, but that is what the sentence means for me. For most people, however, the sentence seems to be synonymous with: ‘I hate those bloody n------!!!!”

Maro 2y ago
I have no agenda for or against Nick Bostrom. It's a full paragraph quote from the Wikipedia article, with a link.
- gwern 2y ago
  Are you trying to imply that Wikipedia articles by definition have no agenda and no one quoting a Wikipedia article can have an agenda either?
  - exo-pla-net 2y ago
    gwern! FWIW, I read what you have to say in the same, careful way that I read Bostrom. You're a treasure.
busterarm 2y ago
It also leaves out that the university investigated and came to the seemingly-rare conclusion that the controversial statement didn't indicate that he's a racist.

karma_pharmer 2y ago

Yeah but this does not explain Starting in 2020, the Faculty imposed a freeze on fundraising and hiring (note the date) More likely the freeze and the smear have a common cause, rather than one causing the other.