ABSTRACT
One particular thought experiment-Robert Nozick’s experience machine (Nozick 1974: 42-45; Nozick 1989: 104-108)—has had a huge impact on the way philosophers think about well-being.1 Indeed, many assume it completely refutes hedonism once and for all, and not merely hedonism, but any theory that focuses exclusively on mental states. However, as we shall see, Nozick’s example and its implications are more complex than people typically realize. The original example goes like this:
Suppose there were an experience machine that would give you any experience you desired. Superduper neuropsychologists could stimulate your brain so that you would think and feel you were writing a great novel, or making a friend, or reading an interesting book. All the time you would be floating in a tank, with electrodes attached to your brain. Should you plug into this machine for life, preprogramming your life experiences?
