this seems confused to me. are we talking about utility functions over worldlines, which I take to be the default meaning of “utility function”, or utility functions over … something else? if something else, is it still justifiable to call it a utility function, rather than a value function?
Do you have a preferred distinction of value functions vs. utility functions that you like, and ideally can reference? I’m doing some investigation now, and it seems like the main difference is the context in which they are often used.
My impression is that Lesswrong typically uses the term “Utility function” to mean a more specific thing than what economists do. I.E. the examples of utility functions in economics textbooks. https://brilliant.org/wiki/utility-functions/ has examples.
They sometimes describe simple things like this simple relationship, as a “utility function”.
actually, I’m not finding anything to back my cached assumption that utility functions over worldlines are the default, and without that I’m not sure there’s a coherent difference between utility and value functions.
this seems confused to me. are we talking about utility functions over worldlines, which I take to be the default meaning of “utility function”, or utility functions over … something else? if something else, is it still justifiable to call it a utility function, rather than a value function?
Do you have a preferred distinction of value functions vs. utility functions that you like, and ideally can reference? I’m doing some investigation now, and it seems like the main difference is the context in which they are often used.
My impression is that Lesswrong typically uses the term “Utility function” to mean a more specific thing than what economists do. I.E. the examples of utility functions in economics textbooks. https://brilliant.org/wiki/utility-functions/ has examples.
They sometimes describe simple things like this simple relationship, as a “utility function”.
actually, I’m not finding anything to back my cached assumption that utility functions over worldlines are the default, and without that I’m not sure there’s a coherent difference between utility and value functions.