koning_robot comments on Not for the Sake of Pleasure Alone - Less Wrong

36 Post author: lukeprog 11 June 2011 11:21PM

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Comment author: Vladimir_Nesov 24 August 2012 03:06:38PM *  1 point [-]

It is irrelevant what we desire or want, as is what we act for. The only thing that is relevant is that which we like.

Saying a word with emphasis doesn't clarify its meaning or motivate the relevance of what it's intended to refer to. There are many senses in which doing something may be motivated: there is wanting (System 1 urge to do something), planning (System 2 disposition to do something), liking (positive System 1 response to an event) and approving (System 2 evaluation of an event). It's not even clear what each of these means, and these distinctions don't automatically help with deciding what to actually do. To make matters even more complicated, there is also evolution with its own tendencies that don't quite match those of people it designed.

See Approving reinforces low-effort behaviors, The Blue-Minimizing Robot, Urges vs. Goals: The analogy to anticipation and belief.

Comment author: koning_robot 24 August 2012 09:28:39PM 1 point [-]

I accept this objection; I cannot describe in physical terms what "pleasure" refers to.