5 ms·
Maybe we are measuring happiness incorrectly. Instead of most people being happy, what if we made a small number of people REALLY happy? Maybe the 0.1% are so h
by brianpan 4y ago
Maybe we are measuring happiness incorrectly. Instead of most people being happy, what if we made a small number of people REALLY happy? Maybe the 0.1% are so happy that it balances out the sadness of everyone else?
/sarcasm
- mring33621 4y agoNo, the 0.1% still aren't happy.
- Smoosh 4y agoYou have to remember that the happiness will trickle down from that 0.1% to the rest of the population.
- barry-cotter 4y agoThis is actually a real problem in population ethics. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utility_monster https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utility_monster
- tetris11 4y agoWhy is total utility the measure though? Why not median
- rcxdude 4y agoIf you used the median then only actions which affected the utility of someone in the top 50% and bottom 50% would have any moral impact. e.g. two miserable people torturing each other or helping each other would be neither good nor bad, since the median would not change.
- tetris11 4y agoAh thanks for the context
- vonwoodson 4y agoRelevant SMBC: https://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=2569 https://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=2569
- brianpan 4y agoMath checks out. Computers never get the math wrong.
- tekknik 4y agoAs sarcastic as this is, you still end up with the same just less intensity. If statistics and estimation are involved, this proposed happiness index will leave some behind and end up with everybody the same.