"Imagine that super neuroscientists have created a machine that can simulate pleasurable experiences for the rest of your life. The simulation is ultra-realistic and indistinguishable from reality. There are no adverse side effects, and specific pleasurable experiences can even be programmed into the simulation. Regarding pleasure experienced, the machine offers more than is possible in several lifetimes.
Question: Do we have any reason to not go in?"
I am a red pill person, I want my experiences to be real, even if imperfect.
A machine induced euphoric coma?
May be the solution for over population, plug people into these for life and forget about them.
A bit like the choice between a perfect sex robot or a real woman who argues, demands, and disagrees with you.
Makes you wonder where the catch is?
Sounds like the fast lane to madness to me.
I'd have a lot of questions first. For instance, how is this pleasure created and/or applied? Is this machine creating holography or does it tie me to a chair and insert nodes into my brain? Am I conscious during the experience?
Without those answers, no. With answers to those questions, maybe.
Hmmmm..... Most pitches in life are designed to get you to sign on that dotted line, not look behind the curtain!
Yes. I don't see it as a dilemma if there are no adverse side effects.
From the pitch; "The simulation is ultra-realistic and indistinguishable from reality. There are no adverse side effects, and specific pleasurable experiences can even be programmed into the simulation."
You said simulate. But how about about stimulate?
I tutored a guy in college that had an electrode in his brain that would (he said) reduce pain when he pushed a button. (It was for an injury he got in the military).
At one point they had to turn it down for him because he was using it too much -- bummer.
My first thought about that is that there will be a lot of people found dead in their homes of dehydration. ?
Darn, it is those thinkers that mess everything up!