What use is utility?
If we must use the expected utility maximizer model for humans, what is the utility we should use?
2025-06-05 — 2026-04-09
Wherein the Implied Utility Functions of Animals Are Considered in Light of Machine-Learning Optimisation, and Value Learning Is Introduced as a Framework for Inferring Preferences From Behaviour.
Because machine learning models so often optimise a loss function, there is a degree to which we, as practitioners, internalise a world of agents with something like the fixed utility of classical rational actor theory. So we might start to think of evolved organisms like humans doing that that, having a utility function I mean. We might think this possibly to a greater extent than the metaphor deserves.
This notebook is is about how we can fabricate such utility functions if we absolutely must. If we need to construct such a pretence for animals, what does the implied utility function look like?
cf ecology of mind, what are human values, bitter lessons in ERM…
1 Value learning
One answer comes from reinforcement learning. See value learning.
2 Instead of utilities
Note that some ML algorithms don’t need utilities, but might subsist on intrinsic motivation.