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mathematics

Infinite Utility

by: Seth Baum

Fri May 04, 2007 at 05:16:27 AM UTC

Utilitarianism's got a problem: It recommends maximizing total utility, but if there's even the slightest chance that this total utility could be infinitely large, then the whole system breaks down.  Or at least that's the impression we get from reading Nick Bostrom's Infinite Ethics (pdf) paper.

I wrestled with this topic for quite some time recently.  I've enjoyed this work more than just about anything else I've ever done (that's me in a nutshell: abstract math + ethics = fun), but it has also left me distressed for my beloved utilitarianism on more than one occasion.  I've now got an approach that satisfies me, but perhaps yinz can pick it apart and send me back to square one.

There's More... :: (18 Comments, 1009 words in story)
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