What Will Be Best for Me? Big Decisions and the Problem of Inter-World Comparisons

Abstract

Big decisions in a person's life often affect the preferences and standards of a good life which that person's future self will develop after implementing her decision. This paper argues that in such cases the person might lack any reasons to choose one way rather than the other. Neither preference‐based views nor happiness‐based views of justified choice offer sufficient help here. The available options are not comparable in the relevant sense and there is no rational choice to make. Thus, ironically, in many of a person's most important decisions the idea of that person's good seems to have no application.

What overarching ethical principle should a superintelligent AI follow?

“…Valuating one alternative over another would most appropriately be judged by comparing how an individual would valuate her life resulting from choosing one alternative compared with how she would valuate her life had she chosen the other alternative. Peter Baumann argues that such comparisons cannot be made and points out how different choices turn us into different people with different preferences, making it impossible for an individual to make a choice based on preferences (Baumann 2018).…”

Rational intransitive preferences

“…For more detailed discussion of incomparability see: Raz 1986, ch.13; Chang 1997; Chang 2002. See also Baumann 2018.…”