Wei_Dai comments on The Shadow Question - Less Wrong

28 Post author: Alicorn 14 October 2009 01:40AM

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Comment author: Wei_Dai 14 October 2009 10:56:42AM 5 points [-]

Ok, we know that we can't just maximize expected utility, but the four strategies you give seem pretty arbitrary and unlikely to be even close to optimal. Why did you propose them?

Let me suggest another strategy that I think might make more sense. Start by considering what distributions of outcomes are feasible (intuitively). Then, among the set of seemingly feasible distributions, decide which one you most prefer, and try to work out a plan that results in that distribution. If it turns out (while trying to work out the plan) that you were wrong about its feasibility, then adjust your intuition, and reselect the most preferred feasible distribution of outcomes. Repeat this process until you end up with a plan.

This way, you get a plan that at least somewhat approximates optimality, given computational constraints and the fact that you don't know how to express your values as a utility function.

Comment author: thomblake 14 October 2009 12:49:27PM 1 point [-]

I'm not sure I know how to consider distributions of outcomes.

Comment author: PhilGoetz 14 October 2009 02:58:47PM 0 points [-]

That's more rational (and more difficult), but still only about halfway to expectation maximization.