I took a philosophy class Fall quarter and we used examples like the "Pleasure Machine" and the "Desire Manipulation Machine" as objections to the Utilitarian value theory (the only thing that is intrinsically good is pleasure) and the Desire Satisfaction theory (the only thing that is intrinsically good is the satisfaction of desire). The pleasure machine made you feel only pleasure and the desire manipulation machine replaces unlikely desires with more attainable ones. These two machines worked as objections because according to the theories, we would want to be put in the machines, but here's the thing: we don't. I don't want to be in a pleasure machine or in a desire satisfaction machine, no matter how awesome i'm sure it would feel or how happy it would make my life. It just seems to be robbing us of something, somehow... So here's my question. If we wouldn't want to be put in to the pleasure machine or the desire manipulation machine, why would anyone want to be put into Morel's machine?
Even if you're living eternally, you're just living the same week over and over. And even if you're unaware that you're living the same week over and over, I just don't think I could choose to put myself into that kind of life. If it's even a life... Becoming a hologram with a soul doesn't sound that great to me. I understand that the fugitive in the book has other reasons such as the fact that he's on the run and can't return to the real world and that he's (almost obsessively) in love with Faustine and wants to be with her forever. But still. Would you choose to be a part of the machine? A part of a twisted invention? A part of something that robbed the people surrounding you of their real world lives?
Even if the invention were later improved and perfected, would you really want that for yourself? Would you really want to wander around like a zombie unable to see and learn new things? Why do we strive for immortality? Why can't we just live our lives the best we can and be content at the end?
One more thing. I think it's interesting how the fugitive comments that the inventor was duped by his own invention, yet he follows in the exact footsteps that Morel did. Morel couldn't have what he wanted so he chose to trap as much of it as he could and just keep that bit of it forever. The fugitive couldn't have Faustine, so he did the same thing by just holding onto the one thing he could have: everlasting admiration and observation of her. But he doesn't actually get to be with her. I don't understand why you would settle for a fake life with the person you love who doesn't even know you exist, let alone love you back. Just let life run it's course people.
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