X-Message-Number: 10150
From: 
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1998 12:05:39 EDT
Subject: calculating satisfaction

Thomas Donaldson (#10140) wrote:

>To Brook Norton: The problem with your criterion comes down to just
>what creates happiness, and why. Why would it be wrong to take a 
>(hypothetical) drug which makes you permanently happy at the cost
>of removing your ability to think? Suppose that you could even do
>this in a situation (say a bit in the future, with robots to care
f>or you) in which you would not be a burden on anyone?

Thomas, Thomas--and you accuse ME of being simplistic!

First of all, it is perfectly obvious why one should not (generally) choose a
permanent opium high or electronic equivalent or anything similar. In such a
state, you are helpless.

All right, I shouldn't complain. After all, I claim to have developed new
insights, which require lengthy exposition, only available when my book is
finished.

However, it shouldn't be hard in many cases to see the fallacy of those who
talk about people "choosing not to be happy"--

No one deliberately chooses (or CAN choose) a future of preponderance of
dissatisfaction over satisfaction. When we make a "sacrifice" (hard work,
giving up something for a child, whatever), it is only and always because the
alternative seems subjectively worse. In any proper sense, there is no such
thing as "sacrifice" or "altruism;" there is only a balance of ends and means,
and the ends are always to improve the future weighted balance of satisfaction
over dissatisfaction for yourself.

Thomas has couched "happiness" in simplistic terms. Satisfaction is not
measured in Richter scale orgasms. There can be greater satisfaction,
sometimes, in intellectual exercises, as he should know. Yes, we will develop
means to quantify happiness or satisfaction or utility and the time-binding
projections thereof.

Probably I should have resisted the temptation to post more short statements,
but what the hey.

Robert Ettinger
Cryonics Institute
Immortalist Society
http://www.cryonics.org

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