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Are wireheads happy? — LessWrong

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And I don't mean that question in the semantic "but what is happiness?" sense, or in the deep philosophical "but can anyone not facing struggle and adversity truly be happy?" sense. I mean it in the totally literal sense. Are wireheads having fun? They look like they are. People and animals connected to wireheading devices get upset when the wireheading is taken away and will do anything to get it back. And it's electricity shot directly into the reward center of the brain. What's not to like? Only now neuroscientists are starting to recognize a difference between "reward" and "pleasure", or call it "wanting" and "liking". The two are usually closely correlated. You want something, you get it, then you feel happy. The simple principle behind our entire consumer culture. But do neuroscience and our own experience really support that? It would be too easy to point out times when people want things, get them, and then later realize they weren't so great. That could be a simple case of m

x Are wireheads happy? — LessWrong Wireheading Wanting vs Liking Happiness Motivations Frontpage 188 Are wireheads happy? by Scott Alexander 1st Jan 2010 6 min read 109 188 Related to: Utilons vs. Hedons , Would Your Real Preferences Please Stand Up And I don't mean that question in the semantic "but what is happiness?" sense, or in the deep philosophical "but can anyone not facing struggle and adversity truly be happy?" sense. I mean it in the totally literal sense. Are wireheads having fun? They look like they are. People and animals connected to wireheading devices get upset when the wirehe

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