I think the argument is misguided. Why? The choice is not only hypothetical but impossible. There is not the remotest possibility of a googolplex persons even existing.
So I’ll tone it down to a more realistic “equation”, then I’ll argue that it’s not an equation after all.
Then I’ll admit that I’m lost, but so are you… =)
Let’s assume 1e7 people experiencing pain of a certain intensity for one second vs. one persion experiencing equal pain for 1e7 seconds (approx. 19 years).
Let’s assume that every person in question has an expectancy of, say, 63 years of painless life. Then my situation is eqivalent to either extending the painless life expectency of 1e7 people from 63y-1s to 63y or to extend it for one person from 54y to 63y.
According to the law of diminishing returns, the former is definitely much less valuable than the latter.
But how much so? How to quantify this?
I have no idea, but I claim that neither do you… =)
regards, frank
p.s.
I have a hunch that you couldn’t fit enough people with specks in their eyes into the universe to make up for one 50-year-torture.
I think the argument is misguided. Why? The choice is not only hypothetical but impossible. There is not the remotest possibility of a googolplex persons even existing.
So I’ll tone it down to a more realistic “equation”, then I’ll argue that it’s not an equation after all.
Then I’ll admit that I’m lost, but so are you… =)
Let’s assume 1e7 people experiencing pain of a certain intensity for one second vs. one persion experiencing equal pain for 1e7 seconds (approx. 19 years).
Let’s assume that every person in question has an expectancy of, say, 63 years of painless life. Then my situation is eqivalent to either extending the painless life expectency of 1e7 people from 63y-1s to 63y or to extend it for one person from 54y to 63y.
According to the law of diminishing returns, the former is definitely much less valuable than the latter.
But how much so? How to quantify this?
I have no idea, but I claim that neither do you… =)
regards, frank
p.s.
I have a hunch that you couldn’t fit enough people with specks in their eyes into the universe to make up for one 50-year-torture.