你會選擇一種沒有痛苦的生活嗎？- Hayley Levitt 與 Bethany Rickwald：英語精讀講義

Imagine if you could plug your brain into a machine 講解

想像一下，如果你能把大腦連接到一台機器上，

that would bring you ultimate pleasure for the rest of your life.

這台機器能在你的餘生中為你帶來終極的快樂。

If you were given the choice to sign up for that kind of existence, 講解

如果讓你選擇是否願意過上這樣的生活，

would you?

你會願意嗎？

That's the question philosopher Robert Nozick posed

這就是哲學家羅伯特·諾齊克提出的問題，

through a thought experiment he called the experience machine. 文化背景

他透過一個被稱為「體驗機」的思想實驗來探討。

The experiment asks us to consider a world

這個實驗讓我們設想這樣一個世界：

in which scientists have developed a machine

科學家們研發了一台機器，

that would simulate real life

它可以模擬真實生活，

while guaranteeing experiences of only pleasure and never pain. 文法

同時保證你只會體驗到快樂，永遠沒有痛苦。

The catch? 表達脈絡

代價是什麼呢？

You have to permanently leave reality behind. 片語動詞

你必須永遠把現實拋在腦後。

But you'll hardly know the difference.

但你幾乎察覺不到區別。

Your experiences will be indistinguishable from reality. 用詞

你的體驗將與現實真假難辨。

Life's natural ups and downs 慣用語

生活中自然的起起落落，

will just be replaced with an endless series of ups. 慣用語

都將被無盡的「起」所取代。

Sounds great, right? 語氣意圖

聽起來很棒，對吧？

It may seem like a tempting offer,

這似乎是一個誘人的提議，

but perhaps it's not as ideal as it sounds.

但也許它並沒有聽起來那麼理想。

The experiment was actually designed to refute a philosophical notion called hedonism. 講解

實際上，這個實驗是為了反駁一種被稱為「享樂主義」的哲學觀念而設計的。

According to hedonists,

根據享樂主義者的觀點，

maximizing net pleasure is the most important thing in life 文化背景

實現淨快樂最大化是生命中最重要的事，

because pleasure is the greatest good

因為快樂是生活能提供的

that life has to offer.

最大的善。

For hedonists,

對享樂主義者來說，

the best choice that a person could make for himself

一個人能為自己做出的最佳選擇，

is one that brings him the greatest possible amount of pleasure

就是那個能給他帶來最大可能數量的快樂，

while bringing him no pain.

同時不帶來任何痛苦的選擇。

Limitless pleasure minus zero pain equals maximum net pleasure,

無盡的快樂減去零痛苦等於最大的淨快樂，

or in other words, 表達脈絡

換句話說，

the exact scenario the experience machine offers.

這正是體驗機所提供的場景。

Therefore,

因此，

if hedonism is your philosophy of choice,

如果享樂主義是你信奉的哲學，

plugging in would be a no-brainer. 講解

那麼連上這台機器簡直是閉著眼睛都能做的決定。

But what if there's more to life than just pleasure? 文法

但如果生活中除了快樂還有更多東西呢？

That's what Nozick believed he was demonstrating

諾齊克認為，這正是他

through his experience machine thought experiment.

透過體驗機思想實驗所要證明的。

Despite the machine's promise of maximum net pleasure, 文法

儘管這台機器承諾了最大化的淨快樂，

he still found reason not to plug in,

他仍然找到了不去連接的理由，

as do many other experimenters who consider the proposition. 文法

許多思考過這個提議的其他實驗參與者也是如此。

But what could possibly dissuade us from choosing a future of ultimate pleasure? 用詞

但是，究竟是什麼能勸退我們去選擇一個充滿終極快樂的未來呢？

Consider this scenario.

考慮一下這個場景。

Betsy and Xander are in a loving committed relationship.

貝特西和贊德正處於一段充滿愛意且堅定的關係中。

Betsy is head over heels and has never felt happier. 慣用語

貝特西愛得神魂顛倒，覺得從未如此幸福過。

However, unbeknownst to Betsy, 用詞

然而，貝特西不知道的是，

Xander has been romancing her sister Angelica

贊德一直和她的妹妹安吉麗卡暗送秋波，

with love letters and secret rendezvous 用詞

寫情書、秘密幽會，

for the duration of their relationship. 片語搭配

這種情況貫穿了他們兩人的整個交往過程。

If Betsy found out, 文法

如果貝特西發現了真相，

it would destroy her relationships with both Xander and Angelica,

這將摧毀她和贊德以及安吉麗卡的關係，

and the experience would be so traumatic,

這種經歷會是極具創傷性的，

she would never love again.

她可能再也不會愛了。

Since Betsy is in blissful ignorance about Xander's infidelity, 慣用語

既然貝特西對贊德的不忠一無所知，活在幸福的無知中，

hedonists would say she's better off remaining in the dark 講解

享樂主義者會說，她最好繼續被蒙在鼓裡，

and maintaining her high level of net pleasure.

保持她高水準的淨快樂。

As long as Betsy never finds out about the relationship, 文法

只要貝特西永遠不發現這段背叛的關係，

her life is guaranteed to go on as happily as it is right now. 文法

她的生活就能保證像現在一樣幸福地繼續下去。

So, is there value in Betsy knowing the truth of her situation? 文法

那麼，讓貝特西知道自己處境的真相有價值嗎？

Imagine if you were Betsy.

想像如果你是貝特西。

Would you prefer to know the truth?

你會更想知道真相嗎？

If the answer is yes,

如果答案是肯定的，

you'd be choosing an option that sharply decreases your net pleasure. 片語搭配

那麼你就是在選擇一個會大幅減少你淨快樂的選項。

Perhaps then you believe that there are things in life

也許這就意味著你認為生活中有些東西

with greater intrinsic value than pleasure. 用詞

擁有比快樂更大的內在價值。

Truth, knowledge, authentic connection with other human beings,

真相、知識、與其他人類之間真實的連結，

these are all things that might make the list.

這些可能都會在這個列表上。

By never learning the truth, 文法

透過永遠不知道真相，

Betsy is essentially living life in her own personal experience machine, 文化背景

貝特西實際上就生活在她個人的體驗機中，

a world of happiness that's not based in reality.

一個不建立在現實基礎上的幸福世界。

This love triangle is an extreme example, 用詞

這段三角戀雖然是一個極端的例子，

but it mirrors many of the decisions we make in day-to-day life. 表達脈絡

但它反映了我們在日常生活中做出的許多決定。

So, whether you're making a choice for Betsy or for yourself,

所以，無論你是為貝特西還是為你自己做選擇，

why might you feel reality should be a factor?

為什麼你可能會覺得現實應該是一個考量因素呢？

Is there inherent value in real experiences,

真實的體驗是否存在著內在價值，

whether pleasurable or painful? 文法

無論它是快樂的還是痛苦的？

Do you yourself have more value

當你經歷現實生活中的快樂與痛苦時，

when you're experiencing real life's pleasures and pains?

你自己本身是否具有了更多的價值？

Nozick's experiment may not provide all the answers, 表達脈絡

諾齊克的實驗或許沒有提供所有的答案，

but it forces us to consider whether real life,

但它迫使我們去思考：真實的生活，

though imperfect,

儘管不完美，

holds some intrinsic value 用詞

是否擁有某種內在價值，

beyond the pleasure of plugging in.

超越了連接機器所帶來的快樂。