RomeoStevens comments on Stupid Questions Open Thread - Less Wrong Discussion
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Given that utility functions are only defined up to positive linear transforms, what do total utilitarians and average utilitarians actually mean when they're talking about the sum or the average of several utility functions? I mean, taking what they say literally, if Alice's utility function were twice what it actually is, she would behave the exact same way but she would be twice as ‘important’; that cannot possibly be what they mean. What am I missing?
I think you figure out common units to denote utilons in through revealed preference. This only works if both utility functions are coherent.
also last time this came up I linked this to see if anyone knew anything about it: http://www.jstor.org/pss/2630767 and got downvoted. shrug