entirelyuseless comments on Rationality test: Vote for trump - Less Wrong

-18 Post author: pwno 16 June 2016 08:33AM

You are viewing a comment permalink. View the original post to see all comments and the full post content.

Comments (60)

You are viewing a single comment's thread. Show more comments above.

Comment author: gjm 17 June 2016 02:42:24PM -2 points [-]

I think it's meant as a rationality test for those who say voting is pointless. If you consider voting pointless but value being 10c richer at least a little bit, then on Liron's premises you should maybe be willing to vote whichever way gets you the 10c.

(I am unconvinced, for reasons I've given in another comment on the OP. Also because people may reasonably value voting for "internal" reasons: it makes them feel like fuller participants in their society, or something.)

Comment author: entirelyuseless 17 June 2016 02:55:36PM 0 points [-]

I consider voting pointless according to my "utility function," if I am measuring the benefit to society that results from the fact that I voted for a particular candidate, basically because I have to take into account 1) the probability that I am mistaken about the better candidate, and 2) the bounded character of my utility function, which means that a small probability of affecting the outcome really does mean small total utility.

Given those facts, if I choose from that utility function alone, from a baseline position I would not vote at all, and I would be willing to vote for any candidate, including Trump, for a relatively small sum of money.

However, I am not a utilitarian in the first place, and apart from that, even if I were, I would have to take into account the effects on my character, as in your argument.