PHIL 1100M: Analyzing Happiness Through the Experience Machine

This essay explores the concept of happiness in relation to the 'Experience Machine' thought experiment and the idea of 'flow.' It argues that true happiness cannot be achieved through simulated experiences, even those designed to induce flow, because real-world consequences, personal growth, and genuine satisfaction are essential components of a fulfilling life. The essay critiques the notion of artificial happiness, emphasizing the importance of facing real-life challenges and engaging with the world authentically. The author draws upon philosophical concepts and arguments to support the claim that the pursuit of happiness requires more than just pleasurable experiences; it demands genuine effort, responsibility, and the acceptance of reality. Desklib offers this essay as a resource for students studying philosophy and related topics, providing insights into complex philosophical concepts and arguments.

Running head: Meaning of Life
Major Essay
Meaning of Life
Student number
TA's name
Tutorial Number
Course Code
Section number (PHIL 1100M)

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Meaning of Life
If ‘flow’ is a necessary condition for happiness,
would you be happy if you were plugged into the
Experience Machine?
The inclusion of flow in a happiness facilitating scenario is highly governed by the inclusion
of a relatedness and submersion of individual with intense focus and a creative engagement
with the on-going process. It reflects the involving perspective of an individual with the task
that is liable to provide happiness. The intensity and concentrating perspectives which are
inclined towards the operational accountability of a process or task is largely related to the
included flow factor (Ayer, 2007). It improvises the personal control of an individual in a
particular situation or proceeding. The selected resources constrain on the operational
accountability, which is related to an individual for managing its happiness and the associated
perspectives to achieve it. An individual is liable to focus and manage its happiness
objectives with the desired flow through assessing efficient ways. Also, the resources
instigate the operational accountability of intrinsic rewarding which is associated with the
provided act of happiness is another personal factor related to this segment. Apart from the
flow of happiness and its relatedness to personal feelings, the alternate possibilities such as
hatred and insult are also a major source of self-realization (Epictetus, 1999). As happiness
and its pursuit is completely a state of mind and self-belief for individuals, the feeling of
hatred and insult is also driven through self-belief of an individual. The feeling that someone
is insulting is the main reason which leads to dissatisfaction and restricts the path and flow of
happiness. All along the provided information it has been concluded that happiness is a state
of mind but in addition to this, it has some beneficial results in consideration of the present
actual world. The virtual orientation of happiness and its pursuit must correlate with actual
benefits and advantages. This is a major reason that limits the operational accountabilities
which cannot be fulfilled through involving experience machine (Stockdale & Admiral,
1993).
The actual context of happiness cannot be justified with the experience machine as it will
hamper the actual process for an individual. The concept of super-duper neuropsychologists
stimulating brain activities in accordance with the proposed algorithm can only provide
happiness in context of virtual world. But by the time an individual is left to deal with some
real time operations, this method of keeping the mind in a happy state of mind won’t work.
This is the ideology which restricts the inclusion of artificial happiness creation through using
inducing experience machine (Schopenhauer & Arthur, 2002). It will largely affect the

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overall operability which is associated with the operation and also limit the growth potential
for the individual in long terms. These incidents can never be termed as a happy state as the
consequences are not at all justified as happy outcome. The proposed possibilities which are
related to setting up of experience machines are also provided with a limited interval and
when this interval is over the correspondent must get out of that zone and select any other
experience which they would like to have in order to be happy. But there are no possible
provisions to control this mid interval which related the operations with reality. And this is a
major reason which has limited the pursuit of happiness through this segment (Schopenhauer
& Arthur, 2002). The lacking effectiveness for this sector of operation is also highlighted
throughout the entire proceedings as it quotes this mode of happiness as a phenomenon based
on man-made operations and the limited authority which is liable to operate in actual world.
The greed and motivation to be happy can never be accomplished by utilizing the operational
demand of these virtual experiences and thus a realisation factor is put in place to check on
the current reality. In addition to this, another major factor which is related to this mode of
pursuing happiness deals with the impacts which are originated throughout the scenario.
Majority of the individuals depend on any other person or object for their happiness
perspectives and this structure helps in modelling self-experience only. Thus the lacking
aspects related to other individuals will create a sense of ineffective and less operational
happiness for them which is a major concern (Schopenhauer & Arthur, 1996). The system
must provide a collective approach and that too in the real context in order to satisfy a long
term happy phase for someone.
The acceptance of happiness in only self-oriented system cannot last for long and will
eventually leave the correspondent in less satisfied and happy condition. The illustrations are
evaluated on the basis of their relativity with the proposed operations and other management
inclusions that are liable to produce man-made reality for happiness in this segment. Robert
Nozick, provides a presumption that the idea of virtual machines for experiencing happiness
is very limited in context of the operational accountability of humans. There are significant
delays and operational lacking which make this system less efficient (Keown & Demion,
1996). The ability of experiencing a process doesn’t means that it has been achieved. There is
a satisfactory feel which is related to these operations and that must be available with the
inclusion of machines. The artificial operations can only provide an individual with the
related consequences of an activity in terms of its operability but the feel of satisfaction can
only be achieved through a reality based operation carried out by the individuals themselves.

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This disapproves the creditability of these experience machines in a larger way. It provides
them with a next to reality experience but the real experience can only be perceived through
actual actions. The effectiveness of reality has been so vast that there is no any available
evidence which can facilitate the advocacy of this concept for pursuing happiness. In addition
to this, there are real life consequences related to each and every perspective of an activity
which increases the accountability of happiness (Camus & Albert, 2007). This factor is
totally absent from the virtual experience as for example, there are no any risks associated
with facilitating the operations virtually. A person can perform adventure sports for being
happy without even having to worry about the consequences in a virtual establishment. This
factor limits the area of experience for the individual and limits the happiness perspectives
too. Another major example which is related to the operational accountability of these virtual
machines are the ability to relive an unconventional situation like meeting someone who is no
long alive. This perspective is similar to the dreams which an individual has and tries to
complete. The fact that it cannot last as the dreams didn’t last degrades its happening
perspective and limits the operational framework in some major areas. This leads to certain
amount of dissatisfaction among the practitioners and also frames the irresponsible behaviour
of these setups. These experience machines can formulate the relativeness of an individual in
order to escape the real world and facilitate developments as a virtual commodity without
actual emotions and feelings involved throughout.
The provided study reflects the actual and objectified underdevelopments which are limited
to a social scenario. It depicts the usage of experience machines as an important suicidal
process which cuts off the orientation from reality and improves happiness at the cost of real
expectancy. The need and ability of an individual to operate in a diverse situation and provide
illustrative acknowledgement to its operations are largely related to a better and happy way of
life is not accepted under these discussions. The need to move in to reality is also a major
indication which is involved throughout the entire process of experience management (Nagel
& Thomas, 2007). It identifies the need of a real world and its acceptance behaviour for all
the major areas of the included process. The fact that reality is more valuable than a mere
experience of it is an important learning which is associated with the on-going process
involving experience machines. Apart from the limited satisfaction and happiness these
machines can ruin the basic human values and integrate a machine driven approach to
happiness which is a real threat for the humans. The users which are inclined with this
possibility are more likely to be less satisfied in comparison to the real life role models as the

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difference in ways to attain happiness has a great impact over its result. It is not all about how
one can achieve something or have an experience of it, but the main responsibility that is
related to this sector is the increased operability which is designed to achieve this state. The
journey of attaining happiness is much more practical and satisfying than a mere experience
of it. The provided articles and studies suggest that an individual must not get carried away
by the outcomes related to experience machine but they should concentrate over the process
with which it can be achieved (Epictetus, 1999). As the process to attain a desire is much
more fascinating and happening than just having a virtual experience of it. It is supported by
the fact that the individual who is experiencing an activity or event is aware of the virtual
practices and their individual efforts for the accomplished success. This affects the level of
satisfaction for them and alternatively the happiness perspective.

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References:
Ayer, A, J, (2007), “the claims of Philosophy”In The Meaning of life: A reader, pp. 199-202.
Oxford university press.
Camus, Albert (2007), “the myth of Sisyphus’’ In the meaning of life: a reader, pp. 72-81,
Oxford university press.
Epictetus (1999), “Encheiridion, or the Handbook” In The Good life, pp. 853-71. Hackett
Pub. Co. Inc.
Keown, Demion (1996), “Chapter 4: Four noble truths and chapter 7: mediation’’ In
Buddhism: a very short introduction, pp. 48-60, 84-69, Oxford university press.
Nagel, thomas (2007), “the absurd’’ In the Journal of philosophy, 68(20) pp. 716-727,
Oxford university press.
Schopenhauer, Arthur (1996), “Chapter XLIX: The road to salvation’’ In The World as Will
and Representation, vol. 2, pp. 634-639. Dover Publications.
Schopenhauer, Arthur (2002), “on the vanity of existance” In exploring The meaning of life:
An Anthology and Guide, pp. 227-229. Wiley-Blackwell.
Schopenhauer, Arthur (2002), experts from The World as Will and Representation vol. 1, pp.
109-110, 162-165, 200-207, 208-212, 255-267. Dover Publications.
Stockdale, Admiral James, (1993), Excerpt from: Courage under file: Testing Epictetus
Doctrines in a laboratory of Human behaviour, pp. 1-21. Hoover institution press.