I don’t see why anyone would think the dust speck problem is a problem. The simplest solution seems to be to acknowledge that suffering (and other utility, positive or negative) isn’t additive. Is there some argument that it is or should be?
Well, you’re right, but I wasn’t completely satisfied by such a blunt argument and went on to invent an extra layer of rationalization: justify non-additivity with proximity. Of course none of this matters except as a critique of the “shut up and multiply” maxim. I wouldn’t want to become a utility-additive mind without proximity modifiers. Maybe Eliezer would; who knows.
I don’t see why anyone would think the dust speck problem is a problem. The simplest solution seems to be to acknowledge that suffering (and other utility, positive or negative) isn’t additive. Is there some argument that it is or should be?
Well, you’re right, but I wasn’t completely satisfied by such a blunt argument and went on to invent an extra layer of rationalization: justify non-additivity with proximity. Of course none of this matters except as a critique of the “shut up and multiply” maxim. I wouldn’t want to become a utility-additive mind without proximity modifiers. Maybe Eliezer would; who knows.