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Well, the most effective way to do it is just anesthetized annihilation of all humanity. Probably we should flip the mental script and say that this definition
by jxub 8y ago
Well, the most effective way to do it is just anesthetized annihilation of all humanity.
Probably we should flip the mental script and say that this definition of minimisation of suffering has effective altruism as a local minima, and painless and unconscious death as a global minima, because it eliminates all suffering immediately and thus would be the perfect solution.
Death is considered almost univocally bad, so perhaps this definition of doing good should also take some type of maximization of subjective happiness into account.
- muzani 8y agoWhoa, chill out there, Skynet. I think people actually enjoy purposeful suffering. That's even what many games bring about. A life without suffering is boring. But we don't want unnecessary suffering. Like parasites. Or having to walk 5 km for a barrel of clean water. Suffering in the aid of others, like bringing a barrel of clean water over 5 km for your family, is actuallu very satisfying though. More so than, say, getting 5 customers through a day of telemarketing.
- reducesuffering 8y agoIt's a good point. The preference is on minimizing suffering rather than increasing the happiness of those who are already well off. I'm curious how you'd put that philosophy into a succinct phrase then.