> Optimizing for happiness would logically call for denying unpleasant truths because pointing them out would make people unhappy Not if you take the long term

> Optimizing for happiness would logically call for denying unpleasant truths because pointing them out would make people unhappy Not if you take the long term into account. Denying unpleasant truth might make people happy -- though I don't think this works if your subconscious still knows the truth -- but then you cannot deal with the issue and it makes you unhappy. > if the depressed commit suicide it would drive up the average happiness. If someone's life is so unpleasant it isn't worth living and they cannot be treated, suicide isn't inhumane. > Even if given tighter constraints it would still have disturbing ignorance is bliss promotion. Something being disturbing doesn't mean it's actually bad. Reactionaries find homosexuality disturbing. Do you have a reason for considering ignorance is bliss promotion disturbing aside from lack of familiarity? > I disagree - especially since optimizing for anything blindly/without constraints can lead to horrific outcomes. I don't think an outcome that makes people happy, including in the long run, can be horrific.