Wednesday, February 8, 2012

The Exprience Machine

In this article, Harvard philosopher Robert Nozick shares his ideas about the value of one making their own choices. He supports his idea tha making your own choices is valuable by creating a scenario of being able to live through an experience machine. Robert Nozick presented the question of whether or not someone should plug int an experience machine for life, preprogramming their life experiences. He compares and parallels his idea of the experience machine with the Matrix. After this he gives three reasons on why someone should not plug into the experience machine, elaborates, and connects it back to his main idea tha making choices for yourself in life is very valuable.
A quote that caught my attention and made me want to respond was when Nozick said, "All the time you would be floating in a tank, with electrodes attatched to your brain. Should you plug into this machine for life, preprogramming your life's experiences?"I totally agree with Robert Nozicks ideas about the experience machine and making choices. I would not plug  into an experience machine for life.Just the thought and sound of preprogramming your life's experiences sound unatural and plain ole boring. Picking your experiences, planning them ahead of time is boring and ruins the purpose of live becausee you aren't really living ut the experience, you are just there. Who wants to plan their life out and be plugged up for two years at a time? BORRIINGG!!! With being plugged up to an experience machine you are sure to get what you want in life, but evrything is predictable, lacks thrill and you arent able to actually interact in real life. Although your brain neurons are stimulated and these experiences are indistinguishable from the real world, you cant make choices or change anything after it is already planned and your plugged in. I also answered the question, "Why not plug into the experience machine?" I agree with all of Nozick's reasons on why a human shouldn't plug into the experience machine. His reasons are that a human needs to do things rather than just experiene them. A person needs to be a certain way to be a certain type of person. I agree with his last reason the most. If a human decided to plug up to the experience amchine they would be limited to the plans that thet made.  They wouldnt be able to make choices  and connect with reality. These people wouldnt be real people. They would have no personality or character. Life would be boriingggggg!!!!!
I would like to ask the author if he would ever plug up to the experience machine?
If you had to be plugged up, would you do it at time intervals or stay plugged up for life?
Thesis: The purpose of life is making choices that will allow one to connect to reality and create yourself while doing it.

1 comment:

  1. I like the quotes you used they really support your main focus on your response. I also agree with your perspective on the article.

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