Chapter
The Philosophy of Utilitarianism and Its Application to Existential Risks
47:16 - 53:58 (06:41)
Utilitarianism is a consequentialist ethical view that considers the best course of action is the one that produces the maximum expected utility by maximizing happiness and minimizing pain and suffering. It becomes challenging to apply utilitarianism to existential risks where the math equation's infinity value makes it challenging to calculate priorities accurately.
Clips
The podcast discusses how utilitarian view of ethics can be applied to making decisions about existential risks such as those posed by artificial intelligence, nuclear war or biological weapons.
47:16 - 52:24 (05:07)
Summary
The podcast discusses how utilitarian view of ethics can be applied to making decisions about existential risks such as those posed by artificial intelligence, nuclear war or biological weapons. It also highlights the challenge faced in decision making when the time scale and probability of the risk is uncertain.
ChapterThe Philosophy of Utilitarianism and Its Application to Existential Risks
Episode#107 – Peter Singer: Suffering in Humans, Animals, and AI
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Utilitarianism focuses on the best consequences, which are happiness and the absence of pain and suffering.
52:24 - 53:58 (01:33)
Summary
Utilitarianism focuses on the best consequences, which are happiness and the absence of pain and suffering. However, there are other consequentialists who consider justice, freedom, human dignity, and knowledge as good consequences, making the calculations even more challenging.