The term "utilitarianism" refers to maximising the combined happiness of all people. The page says:
Utilitarianism is an ethical theory holding that the proper course of action is the one that maximizes the overall "happiness".
So: that's a particular class of utility functions.
"Expected utility maximization" is a more general framework from decision theory. You can use any utility function with it - and you can use it to model practically any agent.
Utilitarianism is a pretty nutty personal moral philosophy, IMO. It is certainly very unnatural - due partly to its selflessness and lack of nepotism. It may have some merits as a politial philosophy (but even then...).
Thanks.
Is there a name for expected utility maximisation over a consequentialist utility function built from human value? Does "consequentialism" usually imply normal human value, or is it usually a general term?
...has finally been published.
Contents:
The issue consists of responses to Chalmers (2010). Future volumes will contain additional articles from Shulman & Bostrom, Igor Aleksander, Richard Brown, Ray Kurzweil, Pamela McCorduck, Chris Nunn, Arkady Plotnitsky, Jesse Prinz, Susan Schneider, Murray Shanahan, Burt Voorhees, and a response from Chalmers.
McDermott's chapter should be supplemented with this, which he says he didn't have space for in his JCS article.