[ExI] The Problem with Drugs (was Re: kepler study says 8.8e9 earthlike planets)

[Rafal Smigrodzki]

On 11/7/13, John Clark <johnkclark at gmail.com> wrote:

> So my next question is could any mind avoid becoming addicted if it had
> complete unrestricted access to its own emotional control panel?

### Yes, of course. Any person interested in achieving any goal, aside
from bliss, would modify its emotions to optimize the likelihood of
achieving said goals. This might even involve removing the abilty to
experience addiction.

Indeed, a part of growing up is acquiring the ability to disregard
some internal states and desires in order to respond to others. This
usually means developing a consistent, general idea of self, including
a hierarchy of goals, and frequently classifying some existing goals
as dissonant with the general goal structure, therefore in need of
being suppressed, which in turn depends on your frontal lobe's
functionality. Having direct access to your mind's emotional structure
would be like having the option of growing up at the turn of a knob,
the very opposite of the childishness that is drug addiction or
wireheading.

Rafal