steven0461 comments on My main problem with utilitarianism - Less Wrong

-2 Post author: taw 17 April 2009 08:26PM

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Comment author: Yvain 17 April 2009 10:29:34PM 1 point [-]

The terminology here is kind of catching me in between a rock and a hard place.

My entire point is that the "utility" of "utilitarianism" might need more complexity than the "utility" of economics, because if someone thinks they prefer a new toaster but they actually wouldn't be any happier with it, I don't place any importance on getting them a new toaster. IANAEBAFAIK economists' utility either would get them the new toaster or doesn't really consider this problem.

...but I also am afraid of straight out saying "Happiness!", because if you do that you're vulnerable to wireheading. Especially with a word like "hedon" which sounds like "hedonism", which is very different from the "happiness" I want to talk about.

CEV might help here, but I do need to think about it more.

Comment author: steven0461 17 April 2009 10:35:32PM 0 points [-]

I agree we should care about more than people's economic utility and more than people's pleasure.

"eudaimon-seconds", maybe?