BlueSun comments on Why Eat Less Meat? - Less Wrong

48 Post author: peter_hurford 23 July 2013 09:30PM

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Comment author: SaidAchmiz 25 July 2013 02:58:51AM 2 points [-]

You don't follow a utility function. Utility functions don't prescribe actions.

... are you suggesting that we solve prisoner's dilemmas and similar problems by modifying our utility function?

Comment author: Lukas_Gloor 25 July 2013 03:08:28AM *  -1 points [-]

OK, bad choice of words.

No, but you need some decision theory to go with your utility function, and I was considering the possibility that Parfit merely pointed out a flaw of CDT and not a flaw of common sense morality. However, given that we can still think of situations where common sense morality (no matter the decision theory) executed by everyone does predictably worse for everyone concerned than some other theory, Parfit's objection still stands.

(Incidentally, I suspect that there could be situations where modifying your utility function is a way to solve a prisoner's dilemma, but that wasn't what I meant here.)