Nick_Tarleton 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: Nick_Tarleton 04 May 2010 02:35:06AM 1 point [-]

What sort of situation are you thinking of where X would be better than Y for one person and worse for none, but Y better than X all things considered?

Comment author: PhilGoetz 04 May 2010 02:45:16AM *  2 points [-]

Doh! You're right.

I think of the concept of Pareto optimality as being useless because the path between the initial allocation, and a really good allocation, is usually littered with Pareto-optimums that must be broken through to get to the really good allocation. The really-good allocation is itself presumably Pareto-optimal. But you shouldn't get into the habit of thinking that's worth much.