80,000 Hours Podcast cover image

#182 – Bob Fischer on comparing the welfare of humans, chickens, pigs, octopuses, bees, and more

80,000 Hours Podcast

NOTE

Why Neuron Count May Not Be a Good Proxy for Suffering Capacity

Neuron count may not accurately reflect an organism's suffering capacity since simpler organisms may need stronger pain signals to protect them from threats, even though they have fewer neurons and may not learn and remember as much as complex organisms. This challenges the assumption that neuron count directly correlates with suffering capacity and highlights the need for models to consider the possibility of an inverted relationship between complexity and sensitivity to pain.

00:00
Transcript
Play full episode

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts

Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.
App store bannerPlay store banner