Truth as Utility: A Conceptual Synthesis

This paper introduces conceptual relations tlrat syntlresizc utilitarian and logical con­ cepts, extending the logics of preference of [{escher. We define first, in the context of a possible­ worlds modeL constraint-dependent mea­ sures that quantify the relative quality of al­ temative solutions of reasoning problems or the relative desirabi lity of various policies in coutrol. decision, and planning problerns. \Yc sho\\' tbat. these llH�asures rnay be inter­ preted as truth values in a multivaluecl logic ami propose rnechanisms for the representa­ tion of complex constraints as combinations of simpler restrictions. These extended log­ iced operations permit also the combination and Rggregation of goal-specific quality l11ea. ­ sures into global measnres of utility . We iden­ tify also relations that represent differential prd!'rcnces hdll"ecn ill t ernativ<' solutions and rel<1tc thcrrr to t.IJ<• pr< ' viously defined desir­ ability tne<IS\nes.