My understanding of ‘Utility Monster’ is someone who gets increasing utility per resource unit when greater resources are spent (greater than linear return). For example it would get utility of 1x when getting one cupcake, and utility of >2x when getting 2 cupcakes.
If such a monster existed, you would increase the average utility by giving ALL of everyone’s resources to it.
A child may get more enjoyment from the same amount of resource than an adult in some situations, but you don’t raise the average utility by giving the entire cupcake to just one of your 2 children.
I thought the point of a utility monster was simply that they were more efficient at turning resources into utility—I suspect both notions serve to make similar points! I agree that children aren’t utility monsters in the sense that you describe, but I think they are at least agents that turn resources into utility more efficiently than adults. I think the claim that such beings could exist is a conclusion that some have claimed is a dodgy consequence to be avoided—which obviously isn’t the case if such things already exist.
My understanding of ‘Utility Monster’ is someone who gets increasing utility per resource unit when greater resources are spent (greater than linear return). For example it would get utility of 1x when getting one cupcake, and utility of >2x when getting 2 cupcakes.
If such a monster existed, you would increase the average utility by giving ALL of everyone’s resources to it.
A child may get more enjoyment from the same amount of resource than an adult in some situations, but you don’t raise the average utility by giving the entire cupcake to just one of your 2 children.
I thought the point of a utility monster was simply that they were more efficient at turning resources into utility—I suspect both notions serve to make similar points! I agree that children aren’t utility monsters in the sense that you describe, but I think they are at least agents that turn resources into utility more efficiently than adults. I think the claim that such beings could exist is a conclusion that some have claimed is a dodgy consequence to be avoided—which obviously isn’t the case if such things already exist.