The Hedonistic Imperative Manifesto

[DoTheFandango]

Girls don't exist on the internet.

[Blanke]

look, i hate t0ne as much as the next guy (<- this isn't true, i think he makes the trench wars forums worthwhile), but can you at least read the dude's fucking website before you attack him? there's a response to your argument as the first thing on http://www.hedweb.com/hedethic/hedon4.htm#objections

Word.

Everyone seems to be making logical arguments, but it also seems that none of you clicked on the link.

Also, without reading the article/book/whatever it is--I'm warning you--it doesn't actually seem so farfetched as it may seem upon first glance. All emotions are caused by chemicals; dopamine causes us to "feel good". Maybe if you just altered a few genes and/or a few cells then we could live painlessly.

Personally, I don't think I'd want to live without pain. This is a horrible example, but right now, I'm playing the string bass--I have a few callouses on my finger. I can't feel anything due to the thickness, yet I sort of miss being able to feel.

I realize that feeling happy is completely different than being completely devoid of feeling. It may matter to some people, but this type of technology surely won't exist until another generation?

It's hard to say.

Edit:

Attn: Tone-that picture you posted isn't really necessary :P
Attn: Ashlee-you're cute, but what a waste of paper.

[Theif of Time]

Girls don't exist on the internet.
__________________

I'm sure you can find sites on which girls do exist.

[Tone]

(EDIT: I'm waiting for tone to say what so I can post the other sign)

What!?

[Cops]

56456

[Kolar]

Word.

Everyone seems to be making logical arguments, but it also seems that none of you clicked on the link.

Also, without reading the article/book/whatever it is--I'm warning you--it doesn't actually seem so farfetched as it may seem upon first glance. All emotions are caused by chemicals; dopamine causes us to "feel good". Maybe if you just altered a few genes and/or a few cells then we could live painlessly.

Personally, I don't think I'd want to live without pain. This is a horrible example, but right now, I'm playing the string bass--I have a few callouses on my finger. I can't feel anything due to the thickness, yet I sort of miss being able to feel.


I realize that feeling happy is completely different than being completely devoid of feeling. It may matter to some people, but this type of technology surely won't exist until another generation?

It's hard to say.

Edit:

Attn: Tone-that picture you posted isn't really necessary :P
Attn: Ashlee-you're cute, but what a waste of paper.

I think the point they're trying to make Blanke is that we could eliminate pain and suffering through genetic manipulation, it shouldn't be that hard but our perceptions and feelings of the joy without pain and suffering would be just joyless and unfufilling. Sugar is only sweet for so long, you have to remember that humans bore of things quickly.

[Tone]

no, thats ur problem, with that logic even the weirdest shit makes sense. why not create a being that can only feel pain and make it suffer all the time, since it doesnt know the difference it wont be sad. it will be in the same emotional state as an always happy creature (possibly killing itself in the long run or at least not trying to create a new generation)
pain and pleasure, death and life, good or bad, its all the same without its counterpart.

No you are wrong, there already exists such people. its called major depressive disorder. they experience pain and anhedonia all of the time, with very little pleasure compared to the average person. yet they experience their state as pain constantly no matter how long and no matter how different or less or nonexistant their other states for possible contrast exist compared to the average person. many are determined to die. on the other hand even less people are maniacs who experience and enjoy a high state no matter how long or what less contrasts compared to average. futhermore theres just about any state you can think of thats experienced by a particlar person more constantly than the average person and yet the feeling of that state remains.

WHen we get to zero suffering it will be the ultimate perfection. life's meaning and purpose will be 100% fulfilled. there will be nothing left to strive after. there will simply be people's person goals and projects which they are highly motivated and immensely enjoy every moment working on them and every moment doing any and everything else in their lives, their entire lives. heaven on earth.

[Theif of Time]

56456

now thats interesting...

[Ashlee]

What!?

I actually made this yesterday in preparation for the board right after I made Stultus some signs, excuse the grunge because I took it after a jog and excuse the bad lighting. I tried to edit the lighting and it made it worse

I'll retake some for you later Tone with decent lighting :kiss:.

@theif- wtf, you've never been to my blog site?

[Theif of Time]

nope, I haven't. But it seems that "You're the only person on the forums who takes the profiles seriously." (according to, you guessed it, the profiles) whats your blog site, then?

[GoldenPlums]

haha that's great. When the villagers chase the freak up the tower, the story only works if there's a love interest.

[Ashlee]

nope, I haven't. But it seems that "You're the only person on the forums who takes the profiles seriously." (according to, you guessed it, the profiles) whats your blog site, then?

It's actually IN my profile, apparently I am the only one who takes them seriously

Click on the homepage link thing

[Kolar]

No you are wrong, there already exists such people. its called major depressive disorder. they experience pain and anhedonia all of the time, with very little pleasure compared to the average person. yet they experience their state as pain constantly no matter how long and no matter how different or less or nonexistant their other states for possible contrast exist compared to the average person. many are determined to die. on the other hand even less people are maniacs who experience and enjoy a high state no matter how long or what less contrasts compared to average. futhermore theres just about any state you can think of thats experienced by a particlar person more constantly than the average person and yet the feeling of that state remains.

WHen we get to zero suffering it will be the ultimate perfection. life's meaning and purpose will be 100% fulfilled. there will be nothing left to strive after. there will simply be people's person goals and projects which they are highly motivated and immensely enjoy every moment working on them and every moment doing any and everything else in their lives, their entire lives. heaven on earth.

They still physically have the ability to feel pain and pleasure. You want to eliminate pain entirely, removing the emotion and feeling. There's a difference between masking a feeling and eliminating it. Eliminating it would mean all we could feel is pleasure, not that we would be happy all the time. Masking it would mean we'd be high or drugged off our asses 24/7. Neither to me seems to be human or better then feeling pain. I think we can only determined pleaseure by the experince of pain and discomfort, or at least have it be unique and enjoyable enough to be happy.


It's human to feel pain and to strive for the better but without knowing both; whatever you want to throw together in a lab wouldn't quilify as human to me.

now thats interesting...

Sorry about that, I keep switching computers and Cops never logs out...

[Blanke]

I think pain is a necessary and essential part of life.

It functions as a learning tool. We touch something hot, we learn not to reenact that gesture.

It notifies us should anything be wrong with our bodies. Kidney stones, bursting appendixes, malfunctioning organs, and sometimes even cancer can be caught through pain.

Plus, I don't think living without pain is as important as living with correct ideals, that which many do not have, or rather, do not conform to the majority of society's

[PH]

shtu up

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