I believe that the proposed function does not follow the rule that adding positive value members is positive value. You can double the population to get any average utility that is greater than half the original utility, while not increasing the other part of the equation by doubling it (starts at, say, 0.98 and can be at most 1)
The correct answer is to factor out “more good can be done with more resources” from “more good can be done by using resources better”. With this factorization, arguments for the repugnant conclusion only show that you want more resources, not that you’re better off using resources by spamming minimally valuable lives.
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.”
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).
I believe that the proposed function does not follow the rule that adding positive value members is positive value. You can double the population to get any average utility that is greater than half the original utility, while not increasing the other part of the equation by doubling it (starts at, say, 0.98 and can be at most 1)
The correct answer is to factor out “more good can be done with more resources” from “more good can be done by using resources better”. With this factorization, arguments for the repugnant conclusion only show that you want more resources, not that you’re better off using resources by spamming minimally valuable lives.
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.”
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).