I disagree, everyone is a finite cog in the wheel called life, and the cogs are interconnected, each one turns another one, me being here turns 10-20-500 other life-cogs of different people, people I interact with, my effect on how things end in the end is multiplied by each interaction my cogs have themselves.
Everyone is a cog, a god, small in his own universe, and we modulate and change how the end picture will look like. There is a you, there is a me, every cog is a cog on it’s own. Even if a cog, decides to leave the system, the act of leaving is acting on the system enough to make changes.
I am utilitarian because my universe-machine works better when all cogs are turning in tune, and they are well oiled. Like a watch-mechanism, once every component fits perfectly, chaos would be completely gone. All that would be left would be pure enjoyment and wellbeing.
That is an interesting way of thinking about it; I do not necessarily disagree on the arguments I laid out in the original post, I believe we are in agreement there because whether or not you use the “cogs” analogy, my argument essentially still works, because consciousness still gives rise from those electrical signals firing, and pain is bad and happiness is good, and the ultimate goal is to minimize pain and maximize happiness. The cogs analogy works because it also shows how our actions can influence other people’s actions.
However, I disagree on one part. Your argument falls apart when you say that “once every component fits perfectly, chaos would be completely gone. All that would be left would be pure enjoyment and wellbeing.” If everyone was a utilitarian, there would still be suffering because not all suffering is caused by non-utilitarian conscious organisms. Viruses, cancer, similar things will not be stopped by everyone becoming utilitarian. Also, many animals are able to feel pain but are unable to comprehend utilitarianism; they cannot become utilitarian in order to have their cog “fit perfectly” and “entirely eliminate chaos”.
Tell me if I misunderstood your argument, or if I am somewhat missing the point. I enjoyed your writing also.
I disagree, everyone is a finite cog in the wheel called life, and the cogs are interconnected, each one turns another one, me being here turns 10-20-500 other life-cogs of different people, people I interact with, my effect on how things end in the end is multiplied by each interaction my cogs have themselves.
Everyone is a cog, a god, small in his own universe, and we modulate and change how the end picture will look like. There is a you, there is a me, every cog is a cog on it’s own. Even if a cog, decides to leave the system, the act of leaving is acting on the system enough to make changes.
I am utilitarian because my universe-machine works better when all cogs are turning in tune, and they are well oiled. Like a watch-mechanism, once every component fits perfectly, chaos would be completely gone. All that would be left would be pure enjoyment and wellbeing.
Enjoyed your writing.
That is an interesting way of thinking about it; I do not necessarily disagree on the arguments I laid out in the original post, I believe we are in agreement there because whether or not you use the “cogs” analogy, my argument essentially still works, because consciousness still gives rise from those electrical signals firing, and pain is bad and happiness is good, and the ultimate goal is to minimize pain and maximize happiness. The cogs analogy works because it also shows how our actions can influence other people’s actions.
However, I disagree on one part. Your argument falls apart when you say that “once every component fits perfectly, chaos would be completely gone. All that would be left would be pure enjoyment and wellbeing.” If everyone was a utilitarian, there would still be suffering because not all suffering is caused by non-utilitarian conscious organisms. Viruses, cancer, similar things will not be stopped by everyone becoming utilitarian. Also, many animals are able to feel pain but are unable to comprehend utilitarianism; they cannot become utilitarian in order to have their cog “fit perfectly” and “entirely eliminate chaos”.
Tell me if I misunderstood your argument, or if I am somewhat missing the point. I enjoyed your writing also.