Thanks for the effort in summarizing and synthesizing this tangle of notions! Notably, I learned about axiology, and I am very glad I did.
One potential addition to the discussion of decision theory might be the use of “normative”, “descriptive” and “prescriptive” within decision theory itself, which is slightly different. To quote the Decision Theory FAQ on Less Wrong:
We can divide decision theory into three parts (Grant & Zandt 2009; Baron 2008). Normative decision theory studies what an ideal agent (a perfectly rational agent, with infinite computing power, etc.) would choose. Descriptive decision theory studies how non-ideal agents (e.g. humans) actually choose. Prescriptive decision theory studies how non-ideal agents can improve their decision-making (relative to the normative model) despite their imperfections.
Because that was one way I think about these words, I got confused by your use of “prescriptive”, even though you used it correctly in this context.
Thanks for the effort in summarizing and synthesizing this tangle of notions! Notably, I learned about axiology, and I am very glad I did.
One potential addition to the discussion of decision theory might be the use of “normative”, “descriptive” and “prescriptive” within decision theory itself, which is slightly different. To quote the Decision Theory FAQ on Less Wrong:
Because that was one way I think about these words, I got confused by your use of “prescriptive”, even though you used it correctly in this context.
Very interesting. I hadn’t come across that way of using those three terms. Thanks for sharing!