Originally Posted by BaseballDad
'Neato,

Robert Nozick, one of the very important philosophers of the late 20th c., discusses this kind of example in some depth. He considers whether it would be such a bad thing to hook yourself up to an "experience machine", a futuristic device that gives you whatever pleasurable or desirable experiences you'd like. He wonders whether we would really choose such an existence over real life, and argues that we wouldn't. There's a not-bad discussion of the example at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Experience_Machine, but the original is in his book Anarchy, State, and Utopia.



BB



What is Cyberpunk about?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberpunk

Cyberpunk is a science fiction genre noted for its focus on "high tech and low life." The name is derived from cybernetics and punk and was originally coined by Bruce Bethke as the title of his short story "Cyberpunk," published in 1983,[1] although the style was popularized well before its publication by editor Gardner Dozois. It features advanced science, such as information technology and cybernetics, coupled with a degree of breakdown or radical change in the social order.




Last edited by Austin; 07/31/08 10:44 AM.