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SilasBarta comments on Why the beliefs/values dichotomy? - Less Wrong
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Since I'm often annoyed when my posts are downvoted without explanation, and I saw that this post was downvoted, I'll try to explain the downvotes.
Updating of values happens all the time; it's called operant conditioning. If my dog barks and immediately is poked with a hot poker, its value of barking is updated. This is a useful adaptation, as being poked with a hot poker decreases fitness. If my dog tries to mate and immediately receives an electric shock, its value of making is decreased. This is a harmful adaptation, as mating is a more fundamental fitness factor than electric shocks.
So, you seem to be explaining an observation that is not observed using a fact that is not true.
Hm, I never before realized that operant conditioning is a blurring of the beliefs and values -- the new frequency of barking can be explained either by a change of the utility of barking, or by a change in the belief about what will result from the barking.
IMO, "a blurring of beliefs and values" is an unhelpful way of looking at what happens. It is best to consider an agent as valuing freedom from pain, and the association between barking and poker prods to be one of its beliefs.
If you have separated out values from beliefs in a way that leads to frequently updated values, all that means is that you have performed the abstraction incorrectly.