> So what this AI tool does is make it safer to be obese, thereby causing long-term suffering for more of the population. And part of the reason why people are obese is because of technology doing so many things so efficiently for them.
What? How does that make sense? It's easier to be obese because now you won't die from cancer, therefor people will stay obese? I guess that's technically true but like... the alternative is they get cancer.
If the assumption is "well, they'll get cancer and then they'll have a wake up call and lose weight, assuming they survive" I question how that's better than "they'll get a cancer diagnosis, very likely survive, and still understand the severity of their issue".
I think you're also assuming that overweight people aren't aware of the problem. Anyone who's going to the dr and is overweight is going to be told flat out that they need to lose the weight to improve their health. Yes, it would be great to have some way to just not be overweight but I don't see how this research is making things worse.
It is simply because you are not looking far enough. Yes, it is easier to get obese now. Imagine a world centuries ago, in the hunter-gatherer times. It was very hard to get obese then because it was a serious risk. Over time, technology has made it safer to get out of shape and obese.
The alternative is they get cancer? Well, now more people might stay obese, perhaps just a small fraction, or people will be less motivated. Maybe it will be hard to calculate based on this one invention, but 100 inventions like this means more and more people will stop caring. Imagine a world where medicine has solved 100% of problems. Then you could just get obese very easily without much consequence.
I am not assuming people who are overweight AREN'T aware. Of course they are, and some have a lot of difficulty losing weight. But some do, and now the incentive to do so is imperceptibly lessened.
What? How does that make sense? It's easier to be obese because now you won't die from cancer, therefor people will stay obese? I guess that's technically true but like... the alternative is they get cancer.
If the assumption is "well, they'll get cancer and then they'll have a wake up call and lose weight, assuming they survive" I question how that's better than "they'll get a cancer diagnosis, very likely survive, and still understand the severity of their issue".
I think you're also assuming that overweight people aren't aware of the problem. Anyone who's going to the dr and is overweight is going to be told flat out that they need to lose the weight to improve their health. Yes, it would be great to have some way to just not be overweight but I don't see how this research is making things worse.