Theli

DRFseven...
And also about comfort, you don't know what strange notions of comfort this red button will put in your head that you will be unable to loose.

Perhaps you will find comfort in running back and forth over a highly trafficated highway. How long will your comfort last then?

DRFseven

And you must go through BIG discomfort to earn a living, have a family, get your academic degrees; what else is new? Again, this is something we do all the time.

This particular scenario does instill mental discomfort, but the idea is not complete anathema and does match plenty of aspects of life as we know it. The advertising industry pretty much depends upon our innate desire to cut straight to the comfort. We have drugs, which work in ways of which most people have not the slightest inkling of understanding, nor do they wish to, we have cheating and theft, we have substandard work, we have couch potatoes. As a species we have no love for doing things the hard way; in fact, we are ingenious at figuring out how to circumvent tedium and trouble in our desire to cut straight to the comfort.

Yes, but surely you must grant that we know that theists also feel they believe the truth and many of them are perfectly happy. According to studies, they are happier (though I personally think that religion, itself, is not the cause of the greater happiness, but, rather the accoutrements of religion cause the greater contentment and longevity). In any case, we certainly know that a happy theist is not a far-fetched idea and is not hard to comprehend.

It certainly does; on that we agree.

Jamie_L

Okay - related scenario:

You can have a happy life with a significant other who will always treat you with what feels like love, compassion, and respect. However, he/she will secretly hate your guts for all your lives, and remain with you only for money and security. You won't know that, and it will never come out or cause you problems. As far as you know, he/she will always be a loving, faithful companion.

All you have to do is "press the button." Do you choose happiness based on a lie?

Would you do it?

Jamie

Automaton

No. A happy slave is still a slave.

DRFseven

No, but why wouldn't I?

In a thread about consciousness, I asked why someone would mind if his/.her beloved spouse (or other) were replaced with a life-like machine identical to the spouse, even to the point of "natural aging". In the scenario, all memories and biological prerrogatives would be preserved and transfered to the bot. The answers evolved into a discussion on what constitutes "you", including the fact that "you" are replaced every so many years, physically, and that, mentally, you are always under construction, ever-changing. I could never pinpoint my objection to having my husband swapped out; even if he were ill and barely hanging on, I want the "real" him, whatever that means.

DRFseven

So you wouldn't be happy being happy, either?

Automaton

Happiness is more than simple pleasure. It requires a certain amount of thought process as well. How happy is a simian? Or a severely brain damaged individual loaded up to the eyeballs with happy pills? Impairing my brain functions may give me pleasure, but not happiness.

DRFseven

Happiness is already included in the description ("happy slave", remember?), so it makes no sense to suggest "...pleasure, but not happiness."