I cannot help but think that if a better criticism exists, why hasn't anyone said it yet?
The whole lesswrong/MIRI thing is built around the strawman of unfriendly AI, as though it were already real. What you are asking is, why aren't there better arguments against strawmen and radical pontification?
It's like if I said, "There is a chance that mean aliens will come soon, therefore we need to start building defense systems." Ok, show me any proof that there are aliens coming or even an avenue for aliens to come here and be unfriendly.
Sure, it's a possibility that there are mean aliens who are going to attack us, but there is absolutely nothing to think that is a thing that is going to happen soon.
Granted, this is not a perfect analogy but I think it makes my point well. I am uncharitable because it's charlatanism and seems to be gaining traction - in the same vein as antivaxxers.
The whole lesswrong/MIRI thing is built around the strawman of unfriendly AI, as though it were already real. What you are asking is, why aren't there better arguments against strawmen and radical pontification?
It's like if I said, "There is a chance that mean aliens will come soon, therefore we need to start building defense systems." Ok, show me any proof that there are aliens coming or even an avenue for aliens to come here and be unfriendly.
Sure, it's a possibility that there are mean aliens who are going to attack us, but there is absolutely nothing to think that is a thing that is going to happen soon.
Granted, this is not a perfect analogy but I think it makes my point well. I am uncharitable because it's charlatanism and seems to be gaining traction - in the same vein as antivaxxers.