Claude's version of "There's no such thing as terminal values"
I asked Claude to simplify the essay “There’s no such thing as terminal values” while preserving key points and arguments. I think it did a good job. Here it is:
There is No Such Thing as Terminal Values: A Simplified Explanation
Introduction
Values are often thought to be of two types: terminal (what we really want) and instrumental (what helps us get what we want).
Example: Survival (terminal) vs. finding food and shelter (instrumental).
However, this essay argues that terminal values don't actually exist.
Arguments Against Terminal Values
Lack of Evidence
No one has ever seen or identified a terminal value.
There's no way to test if a value is truly "terminal."
Economics Perspective
Economic theory explains human actions without needing terminal values.
The concept of terminal values adds nothing useful to economic understanding.
Alternative View: Values as Measurements
Values can be seen as measurements, similar to how a thermometer measures temperature.
In this view, values are ways a system (like a person) changes to match its environment.
This is similar to how people adjust their behavior in economic transactions.
Values as Bayesian Priors
We can think of values as similar to Bayesian priors in statistics.
This connects to the "free energy principle" in neuroscience:
People try to learn as much as possible while changing their internal structure as little as necessary.
In economic terms: People try to gain as much as possible while giving up as little as needed.
The Flexible Nature of Values
Even seemingly "terminal" values like survival are often traded off (e.g., dangerous sports, unhealthy eating).
Values must be changeable for learning and adaptation to occur.
There's no fixed "core" that must be preserved at all costs.
Preferences and Internal Structure
What's preserved isn't specific values, but the ability to make optimal trade-offs between values.
This internal structure (or "preferences") determines how we balance different values in various situations.
No Core Self or Essential Properties
Just as there are no terminal values, there's no unchangeable "core self."
Given enough time, any aspect of a person or species can change (like evolution).
The Closest Thing to a "Core": Efficient Resource Allocation
What's most consistently preserved is the efficient use of internal resources.
The brain's job is to maintain an efficient internal balance relative to the environment.
Practical Example: Eating When Hungry
Traditional view: Values like "survival," "satisfying hunger," "enjoying taste."
New view: Values are embodied in measurable parameters that predict specific behaviors.
Rational action means efficiently adjusting these parameters to match the environment.
Conclusion
Questions like "What do we truly want?" are based on a false premise.
There are no fixed, terminal values or unchangeable core preferences.
The only consistent "goal" is maintaining internal efficiency, which can take many forms.