Sorry I guess it wasn’t clear. I was contrasting two naive utility functions: a flat one which adds up the utilons of all people versus one that only counts the utilons of stock brokers. I’m not asserting that one or the other is “right”. Both utilities would have some additional term giving utility for preserving resources, but I’m not being concrete about how that’s factored in. [I’m also not addressing in any depth the complications that a full utilitarian calculation would need like estimated discounted future utilons, etc.] Did I clear it up or make it worse?
I took “or” in your previous comment to be exclusive, so that “the general population” does not include stockholders. Are you now saying that your two categories are “stock holders” and “everyone, including stock holders”? (And presumably meant “stock holders” when you wrote “stock brokers” in you most recent comment”)
Sorry I guess it wasn’t clear. I was contrasting two naive utility functions: a flat one which adds up the utilons of all people versus one that only counts the utilons of stock brokers. I’m not asserting that one or the other is “right”. Both utilities would have some additional term giving utility for preserving resources, but I’m not being concrete about how that’s factored in. [I’m also not addressing in any depth the complications that a full utilitarian calculation would need like estimated discounted future utilons, etc.] Did I clear it up or make it worse?
I took “or” in your previous comment to be exclusive, so that “the general population” does not include stockholders. Are you now saying that your two categories are “stock holders” and “everyone, including stock holders”? (And presumably meant “stock holders” when you wrote “stock brokers” in you most recent comment”)
yes, that’s what I meant; thank you.