[extropy-chat] limits of computer feeling

[gts]

On Tue, 13 Mar 2007 19:44:57 -0400, Stathis Papaioannou  
<stathisp at gmail.com> wrote:

> Secondly, one of the advantages of mind modification is that you can put
> limits on your desire for pleasure, or your desire to increase pleasure.
> Even drug addicts who have little control over their cravings can do  
> this to an extent, otherwise they wouldn't live long enough to indulge  
> another day.

I'm sorry and embarrassed and probably wrong to imply that I might know  
more about drug addiction than you, but I hope you will at least allow me  
to speculate about this subject. :)

Seems to me that, contrary to your supposition, serious drug addicts  
(e.g., those who inject heroin or cocaine into their bloodstreams) see  
almost no limits to their possible pleasure.

John Clark made the point that something like side-effect-free drug  
addiction might explain the Fermi Paradox. I agree wholeheartedly, and add  
that such a capability, if it were present in a sentient population, might  
lead to its own extinction.

Why should any being have sex or engage in other possible procreative  
activities if it is just as pleasurable to turn up the pleasure knob? Drug  
addicts are wrong about many things, but they know better than to think  
naively that sexual orgasms are the ultimate pleasure available to humans.

Sans procreativity, civilizations die.

-gts