X-Message-Number: 10176
Date: Tue, 04 Aug 1998 08:33:00 -0700
From: Peter Merel <>
Subject: Rationality and Happiness

Am I happier sleeping content in the sun, or immolating myself in some
heartfelt cause? Is great happiness today worth years of discontent? And
is my happiness worth more or less to me than yours?

Others speak in learned terms about some nub of flesh that is the seat 
of happiness, and I can't say they're wrong about it. But nubs of flesh are 
not rational. Others speak of devotion to external purpose, and I can't see 
that this is not useful. But choice of purpose is not rational. Still others
hinge happiness on the purposes of genes, but any one of us would happily 
swap our genes in their entirety for any other mechanism capable of 
supporting our minds just a little longer. 

There's the crowd that insist, without empiricism, there must be some analogy 

for genes in our minds, "memes", and on the purposes of these our happiness 
depends. But "memes" blend seamlessly with the constructs of religions - 
though Keith Henson would hardly agree, there's scant difference between 
"memes" and "thetans". Nor angels, devils, guilt and sin for that matter. 
On what rational basis do these snarks and boojums rest? No one can say.

Me, I think "happy" and "sad" are just another abstraction - ways of relating
a continuum to a particular dramatic circumstance. So I think it's rational
to accept happiness and sadness as they come, to deal with your troubles
as best you are able, and not think overmuch about the account at the end
of the day - for the only certainty is you won't be around to add up the
bill.

Peter Merel.

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