PhilGoetz comments on Morality is not about willpower - Less Wrong

9 Post author: PhilGoetz 08 October 2011 01:33AM

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Comment author: PhilGoetz 07 October 2011 11:34:12PM *  -2 points [-]

Nobody said that humans implement utility functions. Since I already said this, all I can do is say it again: Values, and utility functions, are both models we construct to explain why we do what we do. Whether or not any mechanism inside your brain does computations homomorphic to utility computations is irrelevant. [New edit uses different wording.]

Saying that humans don't implement utility functions is like saying that the ocean doesn't simulate fluid flow, or that a satellite doesn't compute a trajectory.

Comment author: Nominull 08 October 2011 12:18:31AM 2 points [-]

It's more like saying a pane of glass doesn't simulate fluid flow, or an electron doesn't compute a trajectory.

Comment author: wedrifid 08 October 2011 03:21:31AM 1 point [-]

It's more like saying a pane of glass doesn't simulate fluid flow

Which would be way off!

Comment author: rabidchicken 08 October 2011 04:28:52AM 0 points [-]

Does it flow, or simulate a flow?

Comment author: wedrifid 08 October 2011 04:39:13AM 1 point [-]

Neither.

Comment author: PhilGoetz 08 October 2011 02:07:04AM 0 points [-]

So how would you define rationality? What are you trying to do, when you're trying to behave rationally?

Comment author: Jack 08 October 2011 08:28:06AM 1 point [-]

Values, and utility functions, are both models we construct to explain why we do what we do.

Indeed, and a model which treats fuzzies and utils as exchangeable is a poor one.

Comment author: PhilGoetz 08 October 2011 03:07:21PM -1 points [-]

You could equally well analyze the utils and the fuzzies, and find subcategories of those, and say they are not exchangable.

The task of modeling a utility function is the task of finding how these different things are exchangeable. We know they are exchangable, because people have preferences between situations. They eventually do one thing or the other.