[..::^Thursday, May 17, 2007^::..]

Philosophy Essay :
Question 1

I would not plug into the experience machine due to three main reasons as stated below.

Firstly, I strongly value truth and reality. The idea of an experience machine giving me my experiences sounds rather ridiculous to me. The action of plugging into the machine is comparable to allowing self-deception to take place in your mind. It is as good as wanting to lie to yourself and making yourself believe something (whether you are writing a novel or making a friend) which never actually happened. Self-deception is basically denying the actual fact that is happening and believing something else. In this case, it is different in a sense that when you are plugged in, you would not know the real truth. However, the act of allowing yourself to plug in is unethical as you are, in a sense, deceiving someone – yourself. Moreover, I feel that actually doing something for real is more valuable than merely having the illusion or belief of doing it.

Secondly, I feel that our families and friends matter much more than how our lives feel from the inside. Although it is true that “there’s no need to stay unplugged to serve them”, I feel that what we value is something that goes beyond what experiences we are having. For example, if the desired experience was for you to make your children happy with gifts, you could program and experience making your children happy. However, the “children” in your experience would merely be electrodes attached to your brain. The “children” in your experience would be devoid of appreciating the love and care you are trying to show them. Furthermore, they are not factually your children. This experience machine has it limitations and cannot produce your true, valued desires. What we actually desire would be the act of making our children happy, thus making our children happy and not just having the experience of making our children happy, hence making ourselves happy. The second aim or motive would be selfish.

Lastly, I feel that spending actually time with our friends and families is important. Although they can plug in as well, I strongly value spending time with them. Being plugged in would be, in my opinion, as good as neglecting them, it would be an act of selfishness. It is selfish as you are on considering your own happiness and ignoring the responsibility you have toward other people in your lives. Human beings, I am sure, value relationships we have with our families, friends and other people. Being plugged into the experience machine all the time would make life meaningless. There would be no point of having bodies of our own as well, if our brain is all we need for the machine to make us experience our “experiences”. Also, life would have not much meaning either if it is just about plugging in and having experiences given to you by electrodes.

Humans have certain values such as honesty and human relationships. These values I have stated are in application to the society I live in. These values may cause others to refrain from accepting this experience machine. Moreover, the experience machine has its own limitations and flaws as stated in my second point. Thus, I would not plug into this experience machine even if possible.


Done by : Chow Hui Ling
Class : 306


i sound so chim don't i =)

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