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Nozick's Argument Against Hedonism

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Nozick’s Argument by Using the Experience Machine Against Hedonism (Nozick, pp. 28) 1. If the theory of hedonism is accurate, then going into the experience machine will give a person a larger amount of pleasure than a person who is abstaining from the experience machine. 2. However, humans desire to physically do certain activities rather than simply having the experience of doing them. 3. Therefore, the theory of hedonism is inaccurate. Nozick’s argument against the theory of hedonism is flawed because humans are able to gain as much pleasure in reality as from the experience machine. This flaw is damaging to Nozick’s argument because it does not precisely disprove the theory of hedonism; the fact that most would prefer to execute their …show more content…

Therefore, cultural relativism is imperfect. Gensler’s argument against cultural relativism is flawed because although moral views are inconsistent, local standards still determine even the most basic moral principles, so hurting others would be appropriate if the community approved of it. This flaw is damaging to Gensler’s argument because cultural relativism claims that anything that is socially approved must be good, and clearly a number of things would not be considered moral by most people. Hobbes’ Argument for Leaving the State of Nature (Hobbes, pp. 105) 1. If people were in the state of nature, then they would naturally avert doing anything that is detrimental to their well-being. 2. If people had to defend themselves from the harm of other people, then complete disorder would occur. 3. Therefore, the most ideal course of action to escape destruction would be to stay peaceful and cooperate with the people around you. Hobbes’ argument for leaving the state of nature is flawed because people are nonviolent due to their own self-interest, not for the prosperity of others- which can easily lead to corruption and disunity. This flaw is damaging to Hobbes’ argument because not everybody is willing to give up their free will or follow the obligations of the social contract to protect the

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The same goes for an individual. Whatever option would bring that person the greatest pleasure would be the right choice and all other options would be wrong because they would be bringing them pain. Bentham states that when you consider an individual or a group then you can determine the value of the pleasure or pain felt in a situation through evaluating its intensity, duration, certainty/ uncertainty, propinquity/ remoteness, fecundity, and purity (41). This means that you can determine the amount of pleasure or pain a person will feel depending on how greatly it scores on these

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He explains that naturally an individual must undergoe various emotions in order if the indivual wants to become conscious of experiencing happiness. As the professorexplains, humans must experience pain on oreer to make the distinction to recognize happiness. Once again the director, cleverl fails to correlate how the scientists were able to conclude to such results without necessarily presenting factual data, but do present the next emotionally-charged stoty in order to evoke one’s emotions and not

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“What else can matter to us, other than how our lives feel from the inside?" (Nozick) This question was asked by Robert Nozick in response to an Experience Machine that would give a person any experience that they desired. Once plugged into this Experience Machine you cannot turn back to reality, you would not be able to know if you were in a type of a never ending vivid dream. This scenario has led to the debate over what the correct choice would be if you had the choice to plug into the machine.

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In an article, Robert Nozick imagines a machine that would simulate experiences. A person could choose to be connected to it and choose what type of experience they would like to have and who they could share it with. Nozick claims that “plugging into the machine is a kind of suicide”. It would be a type of suicide because a person would lose free will. As a consequence, they would lose their personality, a sense of achievement, and true memories.

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Suppose you are able to experience whatever you desired in life, but the only way to experience this desire is to undergo the Experience Machine. With this machine, you are floating in a tank with electrodes attached to your brain, while in the tank you won’t know you’re in there you just think it’s actually happening. Would you plug in, if you have access to an experience machine? After reading, “The Experience Machine,” written by Robert Nozick, I see a connection between the reading we read previously about Hedonism.

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During the reformation across Europe, there was many forward thinkers who were able to make sense of the ‘pressing problems’ of their day and age. One philosopher in particular, John Locke, was able to press on, and make sense of the problems that he faced in England during his time. However, the philosophers Locke, More, and Hobbes, contributed to society through the various arguments that they brought about. The arguments placed by Locke, Hobbes, and More in society acted as a building block for people in society to either follow, or disregard.

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Many people argue over if the government should be run like Hobbes states with a version of an unlimited government, or as Locke states with a government that is more limited. Government should be run as Hobbes argues, because without government people will become enemies and go to war, man won’t be treated equally, and people won’t be able to have a society. To begin with, without Unlimited Government people will become enemies with each other. This is shown when Hobbes states,”... If any two men desire the same thing, which nevertheless they cannot both enjoy they become enemies…”

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I will also discuss the most successful theory and defend my argument by explaining how the theory. The desire satisfaction theory accommodates the thought which hedonism does not accommodate. According to the desire satisfaction theory, our lives go better when the world actually is a certain way, and doesn’t merely appear to be a certain way. An individual experiences pleasure when the desires are satisfied but it is not a guarantee that the desires cause pleasure.

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According to Hobbes, a sovereign, whether the sovereign was placed into power by violence or force, is the only way to secure law and order. For him, if a citizen obeys the sovereign for fear of punishment or in the fear of the state of nature, it is the choice of the citizen. According to Hobbes, this is not tyranny; it is his idea of a society that is successful, one that does not have room for democracy. As a realist, Hobbes has a fierce distrust of democracy and viewed all of mankind in a restless desire for power. If the people are given power, law and order would crumble in Hobbes’ eyes.

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1. Describe Hobbes ' "state of nature. " - State of nature is when the world has no form of government, no civilizations, or laws and the human beings of this lawless world fall into complete anarchy, or a “war of all against all. 2. HE is arguing that we need to be obligated to keep our agreements because it pave the way any legal sanction, it guarantees that others will do their part for fear of being disciplined and such.

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The three flaws within Thomas Hobbes' theory are that Hobbes’ ideas challenges its own arguments about peace and the State of Nature, the theory fails to acknowledge the people who do not wish to accept the Social Contract, and the Social Contract fails to consider not only the virtue of the citizens, but the Sovereign as well. Hobbes’ Ideas challenges its own arguments about peace and the State of Human Nature. In the pre-Hobbesian version of society, nature and the city were corrupted poor versions of the Garden of Eden. Since there laws or governing power didn’t exist yet, there is no morality or sin because humans act according to the only laws that exists naturally, which are self-preservation and the need to or desire to seek peace.

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Reason says men should conceive to reach peace, however will by all suggests that defend themselves. From this law Hobbes derives a second natural law: “that a person be willing, once others square measure thus too, as far-forth, as for peace, and defence of himself he shall suppose it necessary, to put down this right to any or all things; and be complacent with most liberty against different men, as he would permit different men against himself” (Hobbes, 1968: Ch. XIV). Men voluntary renounce to their good freedom typical of the state of nature, in exchange of security, therefore establishing a contract between them. From this case Hobbes reasons his third natural law: “men perform their covenants made”. Covenants can't be established within the state of nature while not a typical powerful power with comfortable force to assure the elements fulfil their guarantees since “nothing is a lot of simply broken than a man’s

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Summary Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) theory of social contract, which states that we need moral, legal rules because we want to escape the state of nature which is solitary, poor, brutal, nasty, and short. In this state, a man can kill others, and there are limited resources. This can soon lead to a state of war in which we are constantly disposed to harm others to achieve our goals. So, in this state of war if a person was to possess a beautiful house or property, and had all the comforts, luxuries, and amenities to lead a wonderful life; others could come and harm him and deprive him of his fruit of labor, life, and liberty. Therefore, the state of nature is that of fear, violence, and distrust.

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Although it may be acceptable that there are pleasures more valuable than others for an individual or even a group, it is unplausible to claim that there are pleasures equally valuable for everybody. I will try to show this by analyzing concepts of desires and fears in Epicurus’ theory. Epicurus’ idea is that fear or desire can be suppressed solely by realization that they have irrational basis. Unfortunately mechanisms of human psychology are far more complex than that. It is not hard to imagine people who would be absolutely terrified after realization that death is the end and that there is no god to save them and what makes this realization appalling is not only irrationality, but certain Weltanschauung or mindset as well.

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