Great post! I completely agree with the criticism of revealed preferences in economics.
As a hedonistic utilitarian, I can’t quite understand why we would favor anything other than the “liking” response. Converting the universe to utilitronium producing real pleasure is my preferred outcome. (And fortunately, there’s enough of a connection between my “wanting” and “liking” systems that I want this to happen!)
I agree that this is a great post. (I’m sorry I didn’t make that clear in my previous comment.)
I can’t quite understand your parenthetical remark. I though your position was that you wanted, rather than liked, experiences of liking to be maximized. Since you can want this regardless of whether you like it, I don’t see why the connection you note between your ‘wanting’ and ‘liking’ systems is actually relevant.
Actually, you’re right—thanks for the correction! Indeed, in general, I want altruistic equal consideration of the pleasure and pain of all sentient organisms, but this need have little connection with what I like.
As it so happens, I do often feel pleasure in taking utilitarian actions, but from a utilitarian perspective, whether that’s the case is basically trivial. A miserable hard-core utilitarian would be much better for the suffering masses than a more happy only-sometimes-utilitarian (like myself).
Great post! I completely agree with the criticism of revealed preferences in economics.
As a hedonistic utilitarian, I can’t quite understand why we would favor anything other than the “liking” response. Converting the universe to utilitronium producing real pleasure is my preferred outcome. (And fortunately, there’s enough of a connection between my “wanting” and “liking” systems that I want this to happen!)
I agree that this is a great post. (I’m sorry I didn’t make that clear in my previous comment.)
I can’t quite understand your parenthetical remark. I though your position was that you wanted, rather than liked, experiences of liking to be maximized. Since you can want this regardless of whether you like it, I don’t see why the connection you note between your ‘wanting’ and ‘liking’ systems is actually relevant.
Actually, you’re right—thanks for the correction! Indeed, in general, I want altruistic equal consideration of the pleasure and pain of all sentient organisms, but this need have little connection with what I like.
As it so happens, I do often feel pleasure in taking utilitarian actions, but from a utilitarian perspective, whether that’s the case is basically trivial. A miserable hard-core utilitarian would be much better for the suffering masses than a more happy only-sometimes-utilitarian (like myself).
Thanks for the clarification. :-)