There are no natural utility differences that large. (Eliezer, re 3^^^3)
You’ve measured this with your utility meter, yes?
If you mean that it’s not possible for there to be a utility difference that large, because the smallest possible utility shift is the size of a single particle moving a planck distance, and the largest possible utility difference is the creation or destruction of the universe, and the scale between those two is smaller than 3^^^3 … then you’ll have to remind me again where all these 3^^^3 people that are getting dust specks in their eyes live.
If 3^^^3 makes the math unnecessary because utility differences can’t be that large, then your example fails to prove anything because it can’t take place. For your example to be meaningful, it is necessary to postulate a universe in which 3^^^3 people can suffer a very small harm, which necessarily implies that yes, in fact, it is possible in this hypothetical universe for one thing to have 3^^^3 times the utility of something else. At which point, in order to prove that the dust specks outweigh the torture, you will now have to shut up and multiply. And be sure to show your work.
Your first task in performing this multiplication will be to measure the harm from torture and dust specks.
There are no natural utility differences that large. (Eliezer, re 3^^^3)
You’ve measured this with your utility meter, yes?
If you mean that it’s not possible for there to be a utility difference that large, because the smallest possible utility shift is the size of a single particle moving a planck distance, and the largest possible utility difference is the creation or destruction of the universe, and the scale between those two is smaller than 3^^^3 … then you’ll have to remind me again where all these 3^^^3 people that are getting dust specks in their eyes live.
If 3^^^3 makes the math unnecessary because utility differences can’t be that large, then your example fails to prove anything because it can’t take place. For your example to be meaningful, it is necessary to postulate a universe in which 3^^^3 people can suffer a very small harm, which necessarily implies that yes, in fact, it is possible in this hypothetical universe for one thing to have 3^^^3 times the utility of something else. At which point, in order to prove that the dust specks outweigh the torture, you will now have to shut up and multiply. And be sure to show your work.
Your first task in performing this multiplication will be to measure the harm from torture and dust specks.
Good luck.