Robert Nozick designed a thought experiment that contained an experience machine that could give you any experience you desired. (Nozick, 42) This experience machine was designed to challenge hedonism. By plugging into the machine you are given the chance to program your experiences through life for the next two years. Then you must endure ten minutes of distress to reprogram the machine and then jump back in for the next two years. This cycle continues for the rest of your life. However, by plugging into the experience machine you lose more than you gain. You lose who you are, your purpose in life and your experiences lack value since they are not fueled by any internal desire. I disagree with plugging in and believe that Nozick is able to prove hedonism to be false, demonstrating that a life of pure pleasure is not enough. …show more content…
We have to want to do something for the following action to matter. By plugging into the experience machine we lose the “want to do certain things, and not just have the experience of doing them”. For example, I want to win a Nobel Prize because I want to contribute to society and make a difference in science. In the experience machine I could easily win the prize however I would not actually have earned it. I would get a false satisfaction that would not be sufficient because I don’t want the experience of just getting the accolade; the experience essentially has no meaning without me earning it. It may make me happy but there is no actual difference that I am making in the world so the experience alone would not be satisfactory. Having a desire to do something is what makes you want to have an