DagonGod, you are clearly not getting the point here, which is that the vN-M theorem that defines utility is not compatible with you declaring values of your utility function. If you do that, you are no longer talking about the same concept of “utility”.
The concept of a utility function is only relevant insomuch as you can model rational decision makers as possessing a utility function that they try to maximise in some way. I do possess a utility function (not necessarily in the VnM sense as I don’t maximise expected utility, and maximising expected utility is implicit in the definition of VnM utility (this is a point of contention for me)). If I make choices that don’t maximise expected utility, then you must be able to demonstrate that I am irrational on some way (without special pleading to my failure to maximise EU). Either that, or maximising expected utility is not the perfect performance measure for rational choice.
DagonGod, you are clearly not getting the point here, which is that the vN-M theorem that defines utility is not compatible with you declaring values of your utility function. If you do that, you are no longer talking about the same concept of “utility”.
The concept of a utility function is only relevant insomuch as you can model rational decision makers as possessing a utility function that they try to maximise in some way. I do possess a utility function (not necessarily in the VnM sense as I don’t maximise expected utility, and maximising expected utility is implicit in the definition of VnM utility (this is a point of contention for me)). If I make choices that don’t maximise expected utility, then you must be able to demonstrate that I am irrational on some way (without special pleading to my failure to maximise EU). Either that, or maximising expected utility is not the perfect performance measure for rational choice.