Matt_Simpson comments on Human values differ as much as values can differ - Less Wrong

13 Post author: PhilGoetz 03 May 2010 07:35PM

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Comment author: mattnewport 03 May 2010 11:31:05PM 4 points [-]

The problem is using actions to infer terminal values. In order to determine your terminal values, you have to think about them; reflect on them. Probably a lot. So in order for the actions of a person to be a reliable indicator of her terminal values, she must have done some reflecting on what she actually values. For most people, this hasn't happened.

I disagree. People who believe they have thought about their terminal values are often the most confused about what they actually value. Human values as judged by observing how people act rather than by what they claim to think are more self-consistent and more universal than the values professed by people who think they have discovered their own terminal values through reflection. Your conscious beliefs are but a distorted echo of the real values embodied in your brain.

Comment author: Matt_Simpson 03 May 2010 11:39:43PM 1 point [-]

Fair enough - a bit of reflecting might worsen the approximation, however, do our actions allow us to infer what our values would be after we take into account all possible moral arguments? This is what our terminal values are, and my main point is that actions don't tell us much about them.

Comment author: mattnewport 03 May 2010 11:46:16PM 2 points [-]

This is what our terminal values are, and my main point is that actions don't tell us much about them.

Putting aside for a moment my issues with the whole idea of terminal values in the sense you seem to be imagining I would suggest that if our actions don't tell us much about them then our thoughts and words tell us even less.

Comment author: Matt_Simpson 04 May 2010 12:52:45AM *  0 points [-]

I would suggest that if our actions don't tell us much about them then our thoughts and words tell us even less.

On a day to day basis, sure. I accept that possibility. We don't get to consider all possible moral arguments, well, ever.