Douglas_Knight comments on Open thread, September 8-14, 2014 - Less Wrong

5 Post author: polymathwannabe 08 September 2014 12:31PM

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Comment author: mare-of-night 10 September 2014 05:41:13AM *  1 point [-]

I think it depends? People around here use utilitarianism to mean a few different things. I imagine that's the version talked about the most because the people involved in EA tend to be those types (since it's easier to get extra value via hacking if your most important values are something very specific and somewhat measurable). I think that might also be the usual philosopher's definition. But then Eliezer (in the metaethics sequence) used "utilitarianism" to mean a general approach to ethics where you add up all the values involved and pick the best outcome, regardless of what your values are and how you weight them. So it's sometimes a little confusing to know what utilitarianism means around here.

(Edited for spelling.)

Comment author: Douglas_Knight 12 September 2014 06:33:32AM 4 points [-]

I do not believe Eliezer makes that mistake.

Comment author: mare-of-night 12 September 2014 04:54:04PM 1 point [-]

I might have misremembered. Sorry about that.