Topic > Morality: Pursuit of Personal Happiness or…

Cite a study conducted in which three lab mice had electrodes inserted into their skulls. One electrode produced a pleasant stimulus, one produced a neutral stimulus, and one produced a negative stimulus. A lever was placed in the cage that controlled the release of the stimulus. The rat connected to the pleasure-producing electrode spent most of its time neglecting food and water and pressing the button that produced the pleasurable sensation. Smart then considers the question: If humans were able to live in a world where they could receive constant pleasurable stimulation at the push of a button and not have to worry about the drudgery of work, or even the suffering of hunger or pain, would you prefer this to live a life of pleasures achieved through hard work and overcoming obstacles? It suggests that Mill would agree that there is nothing wrong with the option of having an existence made up entirely of receiving pleasure from a stimulus produced by an electrode. Moore, however, argues that happiness, in this sense, is not always a good thing