In this discussion, Paul Bloom, a psychology professor at the University of Toronto, explores the complex interplay between pleasure and pain in our lives. He uncovers how chosen suffering often leads to deeper fulfillment and examines the implications of parenthood on happiness. Bloom challenges hedonism and discusses the philosophical 'experience machine,' questioning the value of artificial happiness. The conversation delves into how unchosen suffering can foster resilience and urges a balance between pleasure and meaningful experiences.
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insights INSIGHT
The Good Life Puzzle
Defining a "good life" is surprisingly complex, with overlapping concepts like pleasure, meaning, and well-being.
People struggle to articulate what truly constitutes a fulfilling life, similar to confusion around healthy diets.
insights INSIGHT
Unreliable Narrators
People are unreliable narrators of their own lives, unaware of potential better paths.
We don't know what we're missing due to opportunity costs and flawed memories.
insights INSIGHT
Experiencing vs. Remembering Self
Daniel Kahneman distinguishes between the experiencing self and the remembering self.
The remembering self prioritizes peak and end experiences when evaluating past events.
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The Pleasures of Suffering and the Search for Meaning
Paul Bloom
Against Empathy
The Case for Rational Compassion
Paul Bloom
In 'Against Empathy: The Case for Rational Compassion,' Paul Bloom challenges the conventional wisdom that empathy is a moral guide. He argues that empathy, defined as feeling what others feel, is a capricious and irrational emotion that can lead to poor decision-making and even cruelty. Bloom contends that empathy distorts our judgment in various aspects of life, from philanthropy and justice to medical care and education. He advocates for a more distanced compassion based on rational, deliberative reasoning and a utilitarian approach to moral decisions. The book is grounded in scientific findings and explores the limitations and biases of empathy, suggesting that clearer, fairer, and more moral decisions can be made without relying on it.
Sam Harris speaks with Paul Bloom about the role that pain and suffering play in living a good life. They discuss the limitations of hedonism, the connection between chosen suffering and meaning, the research of Daniel Kahneman on well-being, integrating the experiencing and remembering selves, moral motivations, the effects of parenthood on happiness, unchosen suffering, the asymmetry of loss and gain, Nozick’s “experience machine” thought experiment, effective altruism, valuing the future more than the past, the power of contrast, false ideals of happiness, polyamory, money and status, the role of the imagination, boredom, the power of apology, and other topics.
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