From: Ben Goertzel (ben@goertzel.org)
Date: Thu Jan 08 2004 - 18:51:29 MST
> To use a simple example: on a light switch, there would be no concept
> of 'off' if 'on' didn't exist. Sure, human emotions also involve a
> gradient, but it is the extremes upon which the gradient is based, and
> if there is only one extreme and no other, say only pleasure, you have
> nothing against which to compare it, the pleasure becomes meaningless
> without context. Removing them gives us nothing to which we can
> compare out positive experiences. If that makes any sense :)
That is not so clear to me.... There may be a major component of human
pleasure that is not tied to the opposition of pain.
And, even your observation *is* true, then perhaps it is just a perverse
aspect of *human* pleasure, and wouldn't necessarily be the case for
pleasure as experienced by an upgraded/uploaded human, or a highly
intelligent AI wiht a nonhuman emotional structure...
-- Ben G
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