I’ve not yet fully resolved in my mind to what extent people should be allowed to constrain the freedom of their future selves.
But as to your particular examples, the two situations could (don’t know about “should”, but they could) be resolved differently by the fact that a crack-addict will have a better overall existence if he de-toxes (which the former desire helps him accomplish); while the gay person will probably have a better overall existence if he does engage in gay sex (which the future desire will help him accomplish). Though the superficial desires are different, at their core, they presumably both desire some sort of happiness, peace of mind, etc, etc.
This assumes the problem away. How do you know which will have a better existence? Each individual, who presumably understands himself far better than you do, has declared that if the specified event comes to pass, he will have a worse overall existence.
I do think the prior “mistake of fact” issue would probably resolve this, though it feels unsatisfactory. The individual who says he wants to avoid being a crack addict is probably fairly accurate about his assumptions. The person who wants to avoid being gay is very likely to have that desire out of some religious concern or concern for his soul or some similar thing. If we’re willing to say that his factual error (i.e. there is no Hell) allows the discounting of all his entwined beliefs, it’d solve the problem.
Incidentally, none of this solves the people-are-offended problem. Sure, the idea of someone having sex with a comatose woman bothers most people. But 100 years ago, the idea of two people of different races bothered a lot of people (arguably more). I think the two are completely different, but how do you distinguish between the two? Ignoring utility based on factual error (there is no Hell) and utility based on counter-utilitarian preference (preventing people from engaging in consensual relationships is, with exceptions that don’t apply here, counter-utilitarian). It seems like a simpler utilitarianism might be stuck imposing the will of the many on the few.
I’ve not yet fully resolved in my mind to what extent people should be allowed to constrain the freedom of their future selves.
But as to your particular examples, the two situations could (don’t know about “should”, but they could) be resolved differently by the fact that a crack-addict will have a better overall existence if he de-toxes (which the former desire helps him accomplish); while the gay person will probably have a better overall existence if he does engage in gay sex (which the future desire will help him accomplish). Though the superficial desires are different, at their core, they presumably both desire some sort of happiness, peace of mind, etc, etc.
This assumes the problem away. How do you know which will have a better existence? Each individual, who presumably understands himself far better than you do, has declared that if the specified event comes to pass, he will have a worse overall existence.
I do think the prior “mistake of fact” issue would probably resolve this, though it feels unsatisfactory. The individual who says he wants to avoid being a crack addict is probably fairly accurate about his assumptions. The person who wants to avoid being gay is very likely to have that desire out of some religious concern or concern for his soul or some similar thing. If we’re willing to say that his factual error (i.e. there is no Hell) allows the discounting of all his entwined beliefs, it’d solve the problem.
Incidentally, none of this solves the people-are-offended problem. Sure, the idea of someone having sex with a comatose woman bothers most people. But 100 years ago, the idea of two people of different races bothered a lot of people (arguably more). I think the two are completely different, but how do you distinguish between the two? Ignoring utility based on factual error (there is no Hell) and utility based on counter-utilitarian preference (preventing people from engaging in consensual relationships is, with exceptions that don’t apply here, counter-utilitarian). It seems like a simpler utilitarianism might be stuck imposing the will of the many on the few.