ahartell comments on Stupid Questions Open Thread Round 2 - Less Wrong

15 Post author: OpenThreadGuy 20 April 2012 07:38PM

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Comment author: ahartell 21 April 2012 01:48:11AM 3 points [-]

What are the basic assumptions of ultilarianism and how are they justified? I was talking about ethics with a friend and after a bunch of questions like "Why is utilitarianism good?" and "Why is it good for people to be happy?" I pretty quickly started to sound like an idiot.

Comment author: orthonormal 21 April 2012 02:57:57AM 4 points [-]

I like this (long) informal explanation, written by Yvain.

Comment author: Alicorn 21 April 2012 02:17:33AM 1 point [-]

See also.

Comment author: Larks 21 April 2012 08:19:59AM 0 points [-]
  • Each possible world-state has a value
  • The value of a world-state is determined by the amount of value for the individuals in it
  • The function that determines the value of a world state is monotonic in its arguments (we often, but not always, require linearity as well)
  • The function that determines the value of a world state does not depend on the order of its arguments (a world where you are happy and I am sad is the same as one where I am happy and you are sad)
  • The rightness of actions is determined wholey by the value of their (expected) consequences.

and then either

  • An action is right iff no other action has better (expected) consequences

or

  • An action is right in proportion to to the goodness of its consequences
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