Alicorn comments on Deontological Decision Theory and The Solution to Morality - Less Wrong

-7 [deleted] 10 January 2011 04:15PM

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Comment author: Alicorn 10 January 2011 06:56:09PM *  6 points [-]

I don't remember the details, but while I was at the SIAI house I was presented some very elaborate thought experiments that attempted something like this. I derived the answer my system gives and announced it and everyone made outraged noises, but they also make outraged noises when I answered standard trolley problems, so I'm not sure to what extent I should consider that a remarkable feature of those thought experiments. Do you have one in mind you'd like me to reply to?

Comment author: shokwave 10 January 2011 07:16:50PM *  3 points [-]

Not really. I am mildly opposed to asking trolley problem questions. I mostly just observed that, in my brain, there wasn't much difference between:

Set of 5 people where either 1 dies or 5 die.
Set of 6 people where either 1 dies or 5 die.

I wasn't sure exactly what work the word 'unsalvageable' was doing: was it that this person cannot in principle be saved, so er life is 'not counted', and really you have

Set of 4 people where either none die or 4 die?

Comment author: Alicorn 10 January 2011 07:18:13PM *  3 points [-]

Yes, that's the idea.

Comment author: shokwave 10 January 2011 07:21:44PM 3 points [-]

I see. My brain automatically does the math for me and sees 1 or 5 as equivalent to none or four. I think it assumes that human lives are fungible or something.

Comment author: Will_Sawin 12 January 2011 02:41:15AM 4 points [-]

That's a good brain. Pat it or something.