What makes a research topic silly? That question has been weighing on Robin Hanson's mind since he returned from an Oxford gathering to discuss the issue of global catastrophic risk at which participants drafted a list of the most formidable obstacles that stand in the way of dealing better with catastrophic threats. According to Hanson, a professor of economics at George Mason University, they agreed that the biggest problem is that the topic seems "silly."
"This silliness-taboo has been a thorn in my side all my life," Hanson writes, "so I'm eager for any insight." His plea has triggered a pretty fascinating comment thread.
