Eliezer_Yudkowsky comments on Less Wrong Q&A with Eliezer Yudkowsky: Ask Your Questions - Less Wrong

16 Post author: MichaelGR 11 November 2009 03:00AM

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Comment author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 11 November 2009 06:55:52PM 4 points [-]

how much thought have you put into developing your personal epistemological philosophy?

...very little, you know me, I usually just wing that epistemology stuff...

(seriously, could you expand on what this question means?)

Comment author: AndrewKemendo 12 November 2009 02:06:19AM 0 points [-]

Ha, fair enough.

I often see reference to maximizing utility and individual utility functions in your writing and it would seem to me (unless I am misinterpreting your use) that you are implying that hedonic (fellicific) calculation is the most optimal way to determine what is correct when applying counterfactual outcomes to optimizing decision making.

I am asking how you determined (if that is the case) that the best way to judge the optimality of decision making was through utilitarianism as opposed to say ethical egoism or virtue (not to equivocate). Or perhaps your reference is purely abstract and does not invoke the fellicific calculation.

Comment author: Nick_Tarleton 12 November 2009 02:08:36AM 1 point [-]

hedonic (fellicific) calculation

See Not For The Sake of Happiness (Alone).

I am asking how you determined (if that is the case) that the best way to judge the optimality of decision making was through utilitarianism as opposed to say ethical egoism or virtue (not to equivocate).

See The "Intuitions" Behind "Utilitarianism" for a partial answer.

Comment author: AndrewKemendo 12 November 2009 06:29:01AM 0 points [-]

Yes I remember reading both and scratching my head because both seemed to beat around the bush and not address the issues explicitly. Both lean to much on addressing the subjective aspect of non-utility based calculations, which in my mind is a red herring.

Admittedly I should have referenced it and perhaps the issue has been addressed as well as it will be. I would rather see this become a discussion as in my mind it is more important than any of the topics dealt with daily here - however that may not be appropriate for this particular thread.

Comment author: CronoDAS 12 November 2009 07:14:15AM 2 points [-]

"Preference satisfaction utilitarianism" is a lot closer to Eliezer's ethics than hedonic utilitarianism. In other words, there's more important things to maximize than happiness.