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Viliam_Bur comments on Open Thread for February 11 - 17 - Less Wrong Discussion

3 Post author: Coscott 11 February 2014 06:08PM

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Comment author: Coscott 11 February 2014 08:28:34PM 0 points [-]

You can entangle your own utility with other's utility, so that what maximizes your utility also maximizes their utility and vice versa. Your terminal value does not change to maximizing other people's utility, but it becomes a side effect.

Comment author: Lumifer 11 February 2014 08:31:36PM 2 points [-]

So you are basically saying that sometimes it is in your own self-interest ("own utility") to cooperate with other people. Sure, that's a pretty obvious observation. I still don't see how it leads to utilitarianism.

If you terminal value is still self-interest but it so happens that there is a side-effect of increasing other people's utility -- that doesn't look like utilitarianism to me.

Comment author: Coscott 11 February 2014 08:54:12PM 0 points [-]

I was only trying to make the obvious observation.

Just trying to satisfy your empathy does not really look like pure utilitarianism either.