Would you opt for a life with no pain? - Hayley Levitt and Bethany Rickwald

翻译人员: Huiying Ma 校对人员: Wei Wang

Imagine if you could plug your brain into a machine

想像一下，如果把你的大脑连接到一种机器

that would bring you ultimate pleasure for the rest of your life.

这种机器可以给你的余生带来无尽的欢乐

If you were given the choice to sign up for that kind of existence, would you?

如果让你选择，你会想要拥有这种机器么？

That's the question philosopher Robert Nozick posed

这个问题是由哲学家罗伯特 · 诺齐克所提出的

through a thought experiment he called the Experience Machine.

由此，他展开了一项被称作“体验机器”的思想实验

The experiment asks us to consider a world

这个实验让我们设想这样一个世界

in which scientists have developed a machine that would simulate real life

科学家发明了一种可以模拟现实生活的机器

while guaranteeing experiences of only pleasure and never pain.

这种机器提供给你的只有欢乐而没有悲伤

The catch?

需要注意的是

You have to permanently leave reality behind,

一旦你进入了这个机器，你将永远的脱离现实生活

but you'll hardly know the difference.

但是你自己却很难发现

Your experiences will be indistinguishable from reality.

你无法分辨出自己是在现实世界还是虚拟世界

Life's natural ups and downs

人生本应有的跌宕起伏

will just be replaced with an endless series of ups.

都会被一帆风顺而取代

Sounds great, right?

听起来很不错，是吧？

It may seem like a tempting offer, but perhaps it's not as ideal as it sounds.

这种体验可能会很诱人，但是，它可能并没有听上去的那么美好

The experiment was actually designed to refute a philosophical notion

这个实验的设计初衷是为了反驳一个哲学思想

called hedonism.

享乐主义

According to hedonists,

享乐主义者认为

maximizing net pleasure is the most important thing in life

人生中最重要的事情是将净快乐最大化

because pleasure is the greatest good that life has to offer.

因为快乐是生活送给我们最珍贵的礼物

For hedonists, the best choice that a person could make for himself

对于享乐主义者来说，他所作出的选择

is one that brings him the greatest possible amount of pleasure

一定是能够带给他最大限度快乐

while bringing him no pain.

却没有痛苦的选择

Limitless pleasure minus zero pain equals maximum net pleasure,

所谓净快乐就是力求无穷无尽的快乐而没有一丝痛苦

or in other words, the exact scenario the Experience Machine offers.

换句话说，也就是体验机器所带给我们的感受

Therefore, if hedonism is your philosophy of choice,

因此，如果你是一个享乐主义者的话

plugging in would be a no-brainer.

你恐怕连想都不用想，就进入这个机器了吧

But what if there's more to life than just pleasure?

但是，如果能够体现人生价值的不仅仅是快乐呢？

That's what Nozick believed he was demonstrating

这也正是诺齐克想要通过体验机器实验所要证实的

through his Experience Machine thought experiment.

Despite the machine's promise of maximum net pleasure,

尽管这个机器能够提供最大净快乐

he still found reason not to plug in,

他仍提出了不要进入机器的理由

as do many other experimenters who consider the proposition.

正如许多其他实验人员所主张的

But what could possibly dissuade us from choosing a future of ultimate pleasure?

但是，究竟是什么东西阻止我们去选择无穷无尽的快乐呢？

Consider this scenario.

想像一下

Betsy and Xander are in a loving, committed relationship.

贝特西和泽安得是一对处在热恋中的情侣

Betsy is head over heels and has never felt happier.

贝特西是情浓意密，感觉再幸福不过了

However, unbeknownst to Betsy,

然而，她却不知道

Xander has been romancing her sister, Angelica,

泽安得却对她的妹妹安吉莉嘉暗送秋波

with love letters and secret rendezvous for the duration of their relationship.

在他们恋爱期间，与她的妹妹互送情书并秘密约会

If Betsy found out,

如果贝特西发现这个事情

it would destroy her relationships with both Xander and Angelica,

这将会同时毁掉她与泽安得、安吉莉嘉的关系

and the experience would be so traumatic, she would never love again.

并且这样的体验会对她留下永久的创伤，可能以后再也不会去爱了

Since Betsy is in blissful ignorance about Xander's infidelity,

由于贝特西仍沉浸在幸福当中，而没有注意到泽安得对她的不忠

hedonists would say she's better off remaining in the dark

享乐主义者会劝她最好安于现状

and maintaining her high level of net pleasure.

这样她仍拥有无尽的快乐

As long as Betsy never finds out about the relationship,

因为她没有察觉那段恋情的存在

her life is guaranteed to go on as happily as it is right now.

她将像现在一样，继续这样快乐的生活下去

So, is there value in Besty knowing the truth of her situation?

那么，贝特西是否应该知道她的恋情真相呢？

Imagine if you were Betsy.

想像一下如果你是贝特西

Would you prefer to know the truth?

你会想要知道真相么？

If the answer is yes,

如果答案是肯定的

you'd be choosing an option that sharply decreases your net pleasure.

那么你所做的选择，将大大减少你的净快乐

Perhaps, then, you believe that there are things in life

可能，从此之后，你就会发现，人生中还有许多东西

with greater intrinsic value than pleasure.

比快乐更具有内在价值

Truth, knowledge, authentic connection with other human beings.

比如真相，知识，以及和其他人的关系

These are all things that might make the list.

还有很多很多

By never learning the truth,

如果不知道真相

Betsy is essentially living life in her own personal Experience Machine,

贝特西实际上就是生活在她自己的体验机器中

a world of happiness that's not based in reality.

虽然幸福，但并不真实

This love triangle is an extreme example,

这样的三角恋虽然是一个极端的例子

but it mirrors many of the decisions we make in day to day life.

但却反映出我们生活中每天所作出的众多决定

So whether you're making a choice for Betsy or for yourself,

因此，无论你为了贝特西或是为自己作出选择

why might you feel reality should be a factor?

为什么现实应该成为一个重要因素？

Is there inherent value in real experiences,

这个现实的体验是否具有内在价值

whether pleasurable or painful?

无论是快乐的或是痛苦的？

Do you yourself have more value

当你体验现实生活中的悲与欢时，

when you're experiencing real life's pleasures and pains?

你会更看重这个选择的价值么？

Nozick's experiment may not provide all the answers,

诺齐克的实验可能不能回答所有的问题

but it forces us to consider whether real life, though imperfect,

但它却促使我们去思考，现实生活，尽管有很多的不完美

holds some intrinsic value beyond the pleasure of plugging in.

却仍有除了快乐以外的内在价值