Would you trade your life for a happy feeling?

[Sytar Embassy]

Ok, heres the question.

"Sciencetists have invented box that you walk in, sit in a chair, and the machine shoots stimulents into your body that makes you feel happy. The box will vary the stimulent so its a new feeling of happy every so often so that you wount get borde of it. After about 10 hours, a life support system turns on to keep you alive. Its free to use for as long as you like. However, everyone that has entered the box has never come back out. Now, your next in line. Would you go into the box knowing you may never come out?"

I said no becuase the real happyness isn't in a metal box. It's in your backyard. I would much rather move and run than sit and feel good. In life, you can't just want to feel good 24/7. You have to feel the full range on emoutions. Anger, sarrow, ect. Thats what makes life so great, the ability to feel this range on emoution.

Input?

[FatalMuse]

I would say no because there are people in my life who I'm attached to and they're attached to me, so by entering the box I may experience a happy sensation but I would also be causing pain to those I loved.

I also think true happiness comes from the full range range of human emotions, the ups & downs. Happiness is relative to other feelings.

[socrato]

I agree completely, and also, where is "Niwot" exactly?

[Sytar Embassy]

Niwot is close to Longmont, CO. Its a little sub-divison of Longmont actuly. If you look it up, you might find it as Longmont. But Google Maps will bring you right to Niwot.

Thanks for repling. Anyone else?

[Zetetic11235]

The famous thought experiment by Nozick used to shoot down hedonism. It yielded interesting results. Most people would rather not live in constant pleasure and only for pleasure, the drive to freedom overrides it. I have to admit I would prefer to be free and miserable than live in a pleasure box.

This is why preference utilitarianism is so much stronger than the pleasure/ pain/happiness ect. model. It removes the imbedded presumption of what is most important to the general populace.

[Deftil]

Originally Posted by FatalMuse

I would say no because there are people in my life who I'm attached to and they're attached to me, so by entering the box I may experience a happy sensation but I would also be causing pain to those I loved.

I agree with FM (was actually going to say almost exactly the same thing myself), but will also say that if I didn't have ANY loved ones in the world at all, then I would seriously consider entering Mr. Happy Box.

[iconoclast]

Let me get this straight? I walk into the box, sit down and all my cares, worries and problems are at an end? I'm happy forevermore on every concievable level? This is not relative happiness - i.e. the difference between something to eat and a three course meal, such that I'd rather sit in the box than leave, but that I have no need to leave because all my needs are satisfied. This is an infinite course meal. This is not oblivion, like being so drugged up I can't be rationally unhappy. If I retained all my faculties - I'd get in the box. If my faculties were compromised to achieve this state then no.

Yoops! Just re-read the original post. Drug induced happiness, no of course not.

[Didymos Thomas]

I'd try it... with the most sincere hope that I would have the will power to exit that box.

Ooh, for all you Nietzscheans out there, do you have enough faith in your strength of will to enter the box?

[iconoclast]

DT,

Drug induced hapiness is not happiness. It's illusory on two levels - one, it's a compromise of your faculties - in other words happiness purchased at a reduced level of function, and two, it's relief from the pain of not having the drug that passes for happiness. Will power is a non-question in face of addiction. That's why AA, NA and so on talk about 'rock bottom' - it's only when the addict reaches rock bottom and weighs the short term misery of quitting against the long-term misery of a lifetime of addiction can they make the choice.

iconoclast.

[Didymos Thomas]

Drug induced hapiness is not happiness.

Believe me, I'm well aware of that fact.

It's illusory on two levels - one, it's a compromise of your faculties - in other words happiness purchased at a reduced level of function, and two, it's relief from the pain of not having the drug that passes for happiness.

You're correct about the first point, incorrect about the second. If you were correct, then the drug would never be appealing in the first place because the individual would have no discomfort when away from a drug prior to habitual use. Addiction doesn't begin at the moment of first intoxication. For most drugs, addiction comes with habitual use, and the development of predictable habits surrounding the drug use.

Will power is a non-question in face of addiction.

Then no one could quit a drug cold turkey. However, people can accomplish this feat.

That's why AA, NA and so on talk about 'rock bottom' - it's only when the addict reaches rock bottom and weighs the short term misery of quitting against the long-term misery of a lifetime of addiction can they make the choice.

First, AA and NA are pseudo-religious cults. No offense to anyone who has benefited from the programs, they work for some, but I've been there, witnessed and engaged in the ceremony. Be weary of their claims regarding drugs and addiction. I'd recommend less extreme organizations when looking for information.

Second, hitting rock bottom is the moment when you begin to gain enough will power to attempt to climb out of the hole. AA/NA preach that the addict is powerless in the face of the addiction, which is simply false.

To return to the topic of the thread, let me point out that we do not, and cannot, know what being in the box is like without having been in the box. No one has come out, but this does not mean that those inside cannot come out if they like. If nothing else, entering the box with the sincere intention to leave the box at some point in time could provide the rest of humanity with a description of the experience inside the box - maybe even a warning never to enter.

And consider this - if after ten hours, a life support system comes on, perhaps it would be possible to slowly ween the patient off the stimulants and revive him/her. That would at least give me a better chance of getting out of the box alive.