[HedCec]

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First of all, if you think I have misinterpreted something (which I of course very well may have done), could you please inform me how or in what way? You saying so doesn't help much.

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If you think DS is asking if you prefer to do what you prefer to do then you've wrong. I'll leave DS to exlain why if he wants to. Or he could say that that is the exciting question he was posing [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

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OK. No help from you in describing what is misinterpreted then.
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Second of all, your example about getting a morphine high is not an example of anything. Why would you ever not choose to hook yourself up to this machine if you thought it would give you the most happiness? You claim that you wouldn't, and I simply don't believe it. In case you don't hook yourself up to this machine, I think it can only be because you actually don't think it will give you the most happiness (i.e. you find some negative value in becoming a drug addict).

The simple fact is that it is given in this question what option people actually prefer, and for some reason you seem to find it difficult to choose this option.

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You may not believe it but it proves your logical fallacy wasn't. I believe many people would refuse it for the same reason they wouldn't all rush out and get frontal lobotomies if it was proven that being lobotimised would made them happy.

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I really can't understand what it is that you have such huge trouble understanding. Of course people would and should get a lobotomy if they thought it would increase their happiness. If you actually believe that you would be happier with a lobotomy, then what would your argument be for not getting it?

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Regarding #2, where you wrote "No we aren't. At least I'm not, you may be.":
Obviously you are using a computer (which is packed with different toxic substances that eventually will end up in your body to some extent).
Your computer uses electricity (which pushes us all nicely closer to global warming).
I guess you at some point have used a car, boat, airplane ... I hope you get the drift.
So without a doubt are you choosing to contribute to this problem (just as I am), unless you claim that you remove as much or more toxic substances from our environment than you put in it.

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Are you suggesting that the best way to look after future generations is for all of us to stop doing anything? people like me using computers etc has led and will continue to lead to innovations from which future generations will benefit greatly.

chez

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I really don't think that any part of my argument is anywhere near rocket science, but you make me wonder ... I will make one last attempt to explain this.

1. People have invented and used a bunch of stuff through history.
2. People are using this stuff because they see some benefit from using it.
3. So far, almost without exception, the inventions made have some negative long term side effects that eventually will make the earth inhabitable to people.
4. For the last generation of people living on earth, I very much doubt that they will agree with you that all the benefits previous generations gained from the inventions was worth the cost.
5. You are using the inventions, which makes you a part of the problem (and me).
6. I am not saying that the best way to look after future generations is to stop doing anything. I am only saying that it at least must be a better alternative for future generations if we were to do nothing than to do what we are currently doing. The very reason you and me can drive our car and burn oil, is that previous generations have not already used it up; instead they have done nothing regarding this, and left it all for us to use.
7. Please give one example of one invention from which future generations will benefit greatly. I certainly can't think of any such invention, but I can easily put down almost all our inventions as things from which future generations eventually will loose their possibility of living on earth.