I believe that it is possible for two agents to have the exact same source code while (in some sense) optimising two different utility functions.
I take a utility function to be a function from possible world states to real numbers. When I say that an agent is optimising a utility function I mean something like that the agent is “pushing” its environment towards states with higher values according to said utility function. This concept is not entirely unambiguous, but I don’t think its necessary to try to make it more explicit here. By source code I mean the same thing as everyone else means by source code.
Now, consider an agent which has a goal like “gain resources” (in some intuitive sense). Say that two copies of this agent are placed in a shared environment. These agents will now push the environment towards different states, and are therefore (under the definition I gave above) optimising different utility functions.
Two agents can have the same source code and optimise different utility functions
I believe that it is possible for two agents to have the exact same source code while (in some sense) optimising two different utility functions.
I take a utility function to be a function from possible world states to real numbers. When I say that an agent is optimising a utility function I mean something like that the agent is “pushing” its environment towards states with higher values according to said utility function. This concept is not entirely unambiguous, but I don’t think its necessary to try to make it more explicit here. By source code I mean the same thing as everyone else means by source code.
Now, consider an agent which has a goal like “gain resources” (in some intuitive sense). Say that two copies of this agent are placed in a shared environment. These agents will now push the environment towards different states, and are therefore (under the definition I gave above) optimising different utility functions.