Nozick, “The Experience
Machine”
Wolf, “The Meanings of Lives”
PHIL 102, UBC
Christina Hendricks
Spring 2017
Except images licensed otherwise, this presentation is licensed CC BY 4.0
Icons not otherwise marked were purchased from thenounproject.com
Why discussing Wolf article
Image of space licensed CC0 from pixabay.com
Even if we are “tiny speck[s] in a
vast universe” (99) and there is no
overarching meaning of life ...
We can still have
meaning in life—we can
still live meaningful lives
NOZICK: “THE EXPERIENCE
MACHINE”
Faces icons by Tuk Tuk design; thought bubble, all CC0 on pixabay.com
Only internal
experiences;
“how our lives feel
from the inside”
(Nozick 43)
Doing things,
being a certain
sort of person
(43)
Nozick uses this to
criticize views that
pleasure is highest
good or ultimate end
goal
Would someone in the machine
have a meaningful life?
Experience Machine & Wolf
article
• Life of the “blob”
• Only caring about what
has subjective value,
for me
• Just being happy with
life even if not
meaningful; just
feeling pleasure
• Actively engaged in projects
• Caring about what is
objectively valuable
• Wanting to find meaning in
life or living a meaningful
life
Machine: internal
experiences
Reality outside
machine
moral
goodness
What’s wrong
with this?
Why should we want to live
meaningful lives?
Reminders from Monday
• Meaningful life:
o actively engaged in project(s) of objective
value that are at least somewhat successful
(94)
• Why we should want one:
o A way to acknowledge the truth of our status
as tiny specks in the universe (101, 102)
Subjective & Objective value
Be engaged in projects with objective value,
beyond just your own pleasure
Can we have meaning in life
without meaning of life?
Yes: things having objective value doesn’t
depend on there being an overarching meaning of
life (104)
Image of space licensed CC0 from pixabay.com
Even if
this...
“if one does some
[objective] good, or
realizes [objective] value,
then one has something
to say ... in response to
the worry that one’s life
has no point” (105).

Nozick, "The Experience Machine" and Wolf, "The Meanings of Lives"

  • 1.
    Nozick, “The Experience Machine” Wolf,“The Meanings of Lives” PHIL 102, UBC Christina Hendricks Spring 2017 Except images licensed otherwise, this presentation is licensed CC BY 4.0 Icons not otherwise marked were purchased from thenounproject.com
  • 2.
    Why discussing Wolfarticle Image of space licensed CC0 from pixabay.com Even if we are “tiny speck[s] in a vast universe” (99) and there is no overarching meaning of life ... We can still have meaning in life—we can still live meaningful lives
  • 3.
  • 4.
    Faces icons byTuk Tuk design; thought bubble, all CC0 on pixabay.com Only internal experiences; “how our lives feel from the inside” (Nozick 43) Doing things, being a certain sort of person (43) Nozick uses this to criticize views that pleasure is highest good or ultimate end goal Would someone in the machine have a meaningful life?
  • 5.
    Experience Machine &Wolf article • Life of the “blob” • Only caring about what has subjective value, for me • Just being happy with life even if not meaningful; just feeling pleasure • Actively engaged in projects • Caring about what is objectively valuable • Wanting to find meaning in life or living a meaningful life Machine: internal experiences Reality outside machine moral goodness What’s wrong with this?
  • 6.
    Why should wewant to live meaningful lives? Reminders from Monday • Meaningful life: o actively engaged in project(s) of objective value that are at least somewhat successful (94) • Why we should want one: o A way to acknowledge the truth of our status as tiny specks in the universe (101, 102)
  • 7.
    Subjective & Objectivevalue Be engaged in projects with objective value, beyond just your own pleasure
  • 8.
    Can we havemeaning in life without meaning of life? Yes: things having objective value doesn’t depend on there being an overarching meaning of life (104) Image of space licensed CC0 from pixabay.com Even if this... “if one does some [objective] good, or realizes [objective] value, then one has something to say ... in response to the worry that one’s life has no point” (105).