Skip to content
Carmelics
TopicsThinkersChangesContributorsLoading account…

    Carmelics

    A reasoning platform. Break down any belief into clear reasons, explore both sides, and weigh the evidence honestly.

    Navigate

    • Topics
    • Search
    • Recent Changes
    • Contribute
    • How It Works
    • Glossary
    • Thinkers
    • Contributors
    • About
    • Statistics
    • Terms
    • Privacy

    Database

    Statements
    —
    Perspectives
    —
    Topics
    —

    Press ? for keyboard shortcuts

    LoyalLoyalJusticeJustice
    Made withinDC&Austin
    Statements
    321,452
    Perspectives
    108,905
    Topics
    42
    If expected utility is the correct criterion of rightness... — Carmelics
    Home
    HistoryEditSee Inverse

    Part of a larger discussion

    Challenges→Evaluating decisions by expected utility collapses the distinction between a decision procedure and a criterion of rightness, a conflation Parfit and Railton both identify as a serious error.

    If expected utility is the correct criterion of rightness, then agents following it as a procedure are doing what's actually right. The distinction collapses only if it's genuinely misguided.

    ?Rate how convincing each reason is below to see the overall strength.

    No one has weighed in yet. Be the first to share reasons for or against this statement.

    Sign in or register to share your perspective on this statement.

    Key Terms

    Misguided(as used in ethics to describe flawed reasoning)
    Based on a wrong understanding or mistaken idea; heading in the wrong direction.
    The distinction collapses(as the main claim about physical objects versus abstract structures)
    The clear difference or boundary between two things breaks down or disappears—meaning they might not be as different as we thought.
    agents(referring to people in this philosophical discussion)
    People, or more broadly, any thinking being capable of having beliefs and making decisions.
    criterion of rightness(Consequentialist theory — distinguished from a decision procedure)
    A standard used to evaluate whether an action or decision procedure is right, which can operate at a higher level than direct moment-to-moment decision-making
    expected utility

    Next step

    Based on where you are in your exploration

    Explore a random proposition
    Start fresh with something unrelated.
    (Cited as a domain where aggregated probabilities play a key role)
    A calculation that aggregates probability-weighted outcomes to determine the overall value of a decision

    Connections

    1 linked claim

    Evaluating decisions by expected utility collapses the distinction between a dec...

    Related

    Evaluating decisions by expected utility collapses the distinction between a dec...

    Details

    Type
    premise
    Perspectives
    0 (0 for, 0 against)

    Open for perspectives

    This idea is waiting for its first supporting or challenging perspective.

    Share the first perspective