I find it reeeallly icky to trade off other people’s pain for other people’s pleasure
Does it work the same in reverse? How many high-quality sexual encounters would you be willing to interrupt while you are out saving people from dustspecks?
Interrupting sexual encounters isn’t the same as preventing them from occurring without anyone knowing. Regardless of what utilitarianism prescribes, the preferences of every human are influenced by the welfare level they have anchored to. If you find a thousand dollars and then lose them, that’s unpleasant, not neutral. Keep that in mind, or you’ll be applying the reversal test improperly.
My problem mentioned that the people receiving additional pleasure must be currently at average level of pleasure. Having your sex encounter interrupted brings you below average, I think.
Does it work the same in reverse? How many high-quality sexual encounters would you be willing to interrupt while you are out saving people from dustspecks?
Interrupting sexual encounters isn’t the same as preventing them from occurring without anyone knowing. Regardless of what utilitarianism prescribes, the preferences of every human are influenced by the welfare level they have anchored to. If you find a thousand dollars and then lose them, that’s unpleasant, not neutral. Keep that in mind, or you’ll be applying the reversal test improperly.
My problem mentioned that the people receiving additional pleasure must be currently at average level of pleasure. Having your sex encounter interrupted brings you below average, I think.