Utilitarianism Subreddit

post by Tuxedage · 2012-07-31T06:23:59.844Z · LW · GW · Legacy · 8 comments

Utilitarianism seems to be a common topic here. Many here are also familiar with Reddit.

I suggest checking out /r/utilitarianism and consider subscribing. That is all.

8 comments

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comment by [deleted] · 2012-07-31T11:27:59.322Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

Is CEV really a form of utilitarianism?

Replies from: peter_hurford, rocurley
↑ comment by Peter Wildeford (peter_hurford) · 2012-07-31T15:44:34.186Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

I was thinking that too, but I suppose it has similar properties to a sort of ideal preference utilitarianism.

↑ comment by rocurley · 2012-07-31T16:42:26.119Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

Did the post change? I don't see any mention of CEV.

Replies from: Oscar_Cunningham, None
↑ comment by Oscar_Cunningham · 2012-07-31T17:29:14.442Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

I think that paper-machine is suggesting that utilitarianism isn't in fact a common topic here because (paper-machine alleges) many LessWrongers believe that CEV is the correct form of ethics and CEV is not a form of utilitarianism.

I don't think that CEV is commonly held on LessWrong to be the correct ethics, especially since it was originally introduced as a way to build an FAI, and not as a form of ethics at all. However, I might well hold CEV up as having the right kind of idea (combining preferences while allowing for change in beliefs). It isn't well specified enough to be a morallity.

As peter_hurford says, it is pretty close to preference utilitarianism.

EDIT: Wrong on all counts.

↑ comment by [deleted] · 2012-07-31T23:02:03.988Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

The sidebar of /r/utilitarianism mentions CEV as a kind of utilitarianism.

Oscar_Cunningham is more or less incorrect in his guesses about me. I didn't allege that many LWers believe in CEV, I don't believe CEV is the correct form of ethics, and I didn't say anything about whether or not utilitarianism is a common topic on LW.

I don't even know if CEV is a kind of utilitarianism or not -- that's why I asked.

Replies from: Lightwave, Oscar_Cunningham
↑ comment by Lightwave · 2012-08-01T07:57:12.684Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

CEV is more of an algorithm that is supposed to produce the correct ethics. I guess some people here would argue that the product will necessarily be a consequentialist form of ethics.

Replies from: None
↑ comment by [deleted] · 2012-08-01T09:01:09.581Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

I don't think there's much use in distinguishing CEV from its results, as far as the "popular" usage of the term goes. Certainly the sidebar isn't using it in this sense.

I have yet to see an argument that CEV (or whatever CEV produces if you like) will be consequentialist; indeed, sometimes I have seen people argue that CEV will value certain abstract things almost as if they were virtues, e.g., fun.

↑ comment by Oscar_Cunningham · 2012-07-31T23:21:43.772Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

Oh, okay.