Nozick describes a machine that could provide whatever desirable or pleasurable experiences a subject could want. In this thought experiment, psychologists have figured out a way to stimulate a person's brain to induce pleasurable experiences that the subject could not distinguish from those they would have apart from the machine. He then asks, if given the choice, would the subject prefer the machine to real life?
Nozick also believes that if pleasure were the only intrinsic value, people would have an overriding reason to be hooked up to an "experience machine", which would produce favorable sensations.
The argument
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The argument is along these lines:
- Premise 1: If experiencing as much pleasure as we can is all that matters to us, then if we will experience more pleasure by doing x than by doing y, we have no reason to do y rather than x.
- Premise 2: We will experience more pleasure if we plug into the experience machine than if we do not plug into the experience machine.
- Conclusion 1: If experiencing as much pleasure as we can is all that matters to us, then we have no reason not to plug into the experience machine. (P1&P2)
- Premise 3: We have reason not to plug into the experience machine.
- Conclusion 2: Experiencing as much pleasure as we can is not all that matters to us. (C1&P3, by Modus tollens)
Reasons not to plug in
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Nozick provides three reasons not to plug into the machine.
- We want to do certain things, and not just have the experience of doing them.
- "In the case of certain experiences, it is only because first we want to do the actions that we want the experiences of doing them or thinking we’ve done them." [1]: 43 [a]
- We want to be a certain sort of person.
- "Someone floating in a tank is an indeterminate blob...Is he courageous, kind, intelligent, witty, loving? It’s not merely that it’s difficult to tell; there’s no way he is. Plugging into the machine is a form of suicide." [1]: 43
- Plugging into an experience machine limits us to a man-made reality (it limits us to what we can make).
- "There is no actual contact with any deeper reality, though the experience of it can be simulated." [1]: 43
Additionally
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These are not quoted by Nozick himself, but rather other philosophers who have come up with or shared additional reasons.
- Status Quo Bias, humans tend to dislike change, especially when considering the thought of having to be prodded with wires.[4]: 139
- We would never see our real family and friends again, although unbeknownst to us.[5]: 383
- The concept of free will becomes murky.[4]: 142
- Previous experiences with technological failure; people don't trust machines.[6]
Argument against hedonism
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Hedonism states that the things in life worth pursuing are the highest good, or the things that will make one happiest both long term and short term. Happiness is the highest value in human life. The Experience Machine is hedonistic, and yet people still refuse to be plugged in for the reasons listed above. Therefore, a conclusion is made that being personally happy is not the greatest value everyone carries.
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