MugaSofer comments on Humans are utility monsters - Less Wrong

67 Post author: PhilGoetz 16 August 2013 09:05PM

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Comment author: DanArmak 17 August 2013 01:03:18PM *  0 points [-]

Utilitarianism doesn't say that. Maybe some variant says that, but general utilitarianism merely says that I should have a single self-consistent utility function of my own, which is free to assign whatever weights to others.

ETA: PhilGoetz says otherwise. I believe that he is right, he's an expert in the subject matter. I am surprised and confused.

Comment author: MugaSofer 18 August 2013 10:57:32PM *  -2 points [-]

"Utilitarianism" is sometimes used for both that "variant" (valuing utility) and the meaning you ascribe to it (defining "value" in terms of utility.) The Utility Monster is designed to interfere with the former meaning. Which is the correct meaning ...