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Vaniver comments on Skirting the mere addition paradox - Less Wrong Discussion

3 Post author: Stuart_Armstrong 18 November 2013 05:50PM

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Comment author: Vaniver 18 November 2013 11:16:04PM 0 points [-]

I believe that the proposed function does not follow the rule that adding positive value members is positive value.

Right- the point is that the original repugnant conclusion is avoided if you replace "adding any number of people with positive happiness leads to a superior aggregation" with "there is some number of people with below-average utility who can be added which leads to a superior aggregation."

Comment author: ThrustVectoring 19 November 2013 12:57:38AM 0 points [-]

I don't think it's necessary to butcher your utility function calculations that way. Adding someone with a positive-value life is a good thing (else it would not be positive value).