The idea isn’t to add up and maximize everyone’s utility. I agree with you that that makes no sense. The point is, when an agent makes a decision, that agent has to evaluate alternatives, and those alternatives are going to be weighed according to how they score under the agent’s utility function. But utility isn’t just selfish profit. I can value that there be happiness even if I don’t ever get to know about it.
Ok, I think we can agree to agree. Revealed preference doesn’t prevent me from incorporating utilitarianish snippets of other peoples utility judgments into my own preferences. I am allowed to be benevolent. But simple math and logic prevent me from doing it all-out, the way that Bentham suggested.
But simple math and logic prevent me from doing it all-out, the way that
Bentham suggested.
What simple math and logic? Utilitarianism seems pretty silly to me too—but adding different people’s utilities together is hardly a show-stopping problem.
The problem I see with utilitarianism is that it is a distant ideal. Ideals of moral behaviour normally work best when they act like a carrot which is slightly out of reach. Utilitarianism conflicts with people’s basic drives. It turns everyone into a sinner.
If you preach utilitarianism, people just think you are trying to manipulate them into giving away all their stuff. Usually that is true—promoters of utilitarianism are usually poorer folk who are after the rich people’s stuff—and have found a moral philosophy that helps them get at it.
Politicians often say they will tax the rich and give the money to the poor. This is because they want the poor people’s votes. Utilitarianism is the ethical equivalent of that. Leaders sometimes publicly promote such policies if they want the support of the masses in order to gain power.
Ok, I think we can agree to agree. Revealed preference doesn’t prevent me from incorporating utilitarianish snippets of other peoples utility judgments into my own preferences. I am allowed to be benevolent. But simple math and logic prevent me from doing it all-out, the way that Bentham suggested.
Now, which one of us has to tell Eliezer?
What simple math and logic? Utilitarianism seems pretty silly to me too—but adding different people’s utilities together is hardly a show-stopping problem.
The problem I see with utilitarianism is that it is a distant ideal. Ideals of moral behaviour normally work best when they act like a carrot which is slightly out of reach. Utilitarianism conflicts with people’s basic drives. It turns everyone into a sinner.
If you preach utilitarianism, people just think you are trying to manipulate them into giving away all their stuff. Usually that is true—promoters of utilitarianism are usually poorer folk who are after the rich people’s stuff—and have found a moral philosophy that helps them get at it.
Politicians often say they will tax the rich and give the money to the poor. This is because they want the poor people’s votes. Utilitarianism is the ethical equivalent of that. Leaders sometimes publicly promote such policies if they want the support of the masses in order to gain power.