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Nectanebo comments on What happens when your beliefs fully propagate - Less Wrong
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I think the flowchart for thinking about this question should look something like:
If in a least convenient possible world where following your interests did not maximize utility, are you pretty sure you really would forego your personal interests to maximize utility? If no, go to 2; if yes, go to 3.
Why are you even thinking about this question? Are you just trying to come up with a clever argument for something you're going to do anyway?
Okay, now you can think about this question.
I can't answer your question because I've never gotten past 2.
Isn't this statement also a clever argument for why you're not going to do it anyway, at least to an extent?
Not a clever argument, more of an admission of current weakness. Admitting current weakness has the advantage of having the obvious next step of "consider becoming stronger".
But saying "Pursuing my interests would increase utility anyway" has the disadvantage of requiring no further actions. Which is fine if it's true, but if you evaluate the truth of the statement while you still have this potential source of bias lurking in the background, it might not be.