Alan Watts thought about this often and I tend to agree with him on this idea. What we want is surprise, and why? Who really knows. And who can know if suffering is bad or good? It's a deeply difficult decision to make, but I think if given the opportunity, I would make a replica of the world we live in, but I would re-write the ancient stories to be along the lines of God establishing the various cultures in order to express divine love rather than punishment. Additionally, I would include atrocities such as the holocaust in the ancient stories, but make them eons ago, and set up museums and reminders of what happens when we forget that our enemies are within and not each other, and what happens when we begin to sell commodities, rather than trade for other needs. What happens when we place a monetary value on a labor hour.
I guess I am creating a religion. Afterall, are not stories what make us do what we do? We need the right story.
And now I have homework to think this thing through more appropriately.
My instinct is that I would create as many worlds / as much life as possible and probably make it very similar to our world here. Evolution is smarter than I am.
Great post. This thought experiment occurred also to me back in the day and is the main reason why why I deconverted from utilitarianism. I also have the same intuition about what sort of world to create.
I'd give each living person one galaxy to do with as they please, subject to a restriction on extreme or long-lasting suffering. (Minor or intermittent suffering is ok.)
Seeing how that goes would probably give me some opinion on what to do with the rest.
Alan Watts thought about this often and I tend to agree with him on this idea. What we want is surprise, and why? Who really knows. And who can know if suffering is bad or good? It's a deeply difficult decision to make, but I think if given the opportunity, I would make a replica of the world we live in, but I would re-write the ancient stories to be along the lines of God establishing the various cultures in order to express divine love rather than punishment. Additionally, I would include atrocities such as the holocaust in the ancient stories, but make them eons ago, and set up museums and reminders of what happens when we forget that our enemies are within and not each other, and what happens when we begin to sell commodities, rather than trade for other needs. What happens when we place a monetary value on a labor hour.
I guess I am creating a religion. Afterall, are not stories what make us do what we do? We need the right story.
And now I have homework to think this thing through more appropriately.
Thanks Bear!
I'd eliminate some behaviors from the universe. Parochial, I know.
Absolute power corrupts absolutely, at least for humans. I would refuse such a power.
My instinct is that I would create as many worlds / as much life as possible and probably make it very similar to our world here. Evolution is smarter than I am.
Great post. This thought experiment occurred also to me back in the day and is the main reason why why I deconverted from utilitarianism. I also have the same intuition about what sort of world to create.
I'd give each living person one galaxy to do with as they please, subject to a restriction on extreme or long-lasting suffering. (Minor or intermittent suffering is ok.)
Seeing how that goes would probably give me some opinion on what to do with the rest.