Sorry I’m not answering your question, but I think it’s important to note some line needs to be drawn between treating issues (e.g. depression) and just wireheading. I don’t think “a drug that makes everyone 20% happier” is necessarily a good thing. It could have both side effects for individuals, and widespread societal effects.
I separate this from wireheading in that it does not necessarily decrease emotional variance, and in that the effect is not necessarily extreme as in a literal electrical wireheading . I’m not even sure that making the average person 20% happier would even equate them with the top 5-10% “naturally” happiest people.
However to my knowledge there still is no wireheading technology that is sustainable over time, and I am inclined to believe that it is desirable to develop one as that may open up society to more nuanced transhumanist “happiness technologies” (“paradise engineering”).
Sorry I’m not answering your question, but I think it’s important to note some line needs to be drawn between treating issues (e.g. depression) and just wireheading. I don’t think “a drug that makes everyone 20% happier” is necessarily a good thing. It could have both side effects for individuals, and widespread societal effects.
I separate this from wireheading in that it does not necessarily decrease emotional variance, and in that the effect is not necessarily extreme as in a literal electrical wireheading . I’m not even sure that making the average person 20% happier would even equate them with the top 5-10% “naturally” happiest people.
However to my knowledge there still is no wireheading technology that is sustainable over time, and I am inclined to believe that it is desirable to develop one as that may open up society to more nuanced transhumanist “happiness technologies” (“paradise engineering”).