Essay II
As before, be sure you have read and understood the instructions. If you have any question, please don't hesitate to ask via GroupMe or by email to berkich@gmail.com.
Note that unlike the first essay, the second essay is worth 100 points.
What If Everyone Else Were a Philosophical Zombie?
Following up on our vigorous in-class discussion Monday, 4/6, consider the following variation on a thought experiment by Jim Pryor, which neatly raises a question specifically asked in discussion: Would it really matter if everyone else were a philosophical zombie?
You have been chosen to colonize a new planet, but the trip will entirely erase all of your memories. Before you go, and because the whole enterprise is fantastically expensive, we offer you two choices.
If you choose Option 1, you'll be sent to a colony where you'll be the only real person there. You'll have company, of course--lovers and friends--but they will all be androids. You'll never remember this fact because your memories of having made this choice will all be gone, but you will also never be able to discover that the androids are just androids (with no real thoughts, feelings, or subjective experiences of their own), because they are so well-constructed they are behaviorally indistinguishable from ordinary persons. We've even made it so that the androids 'age' just as you do, although they cannot reproduce—they'll explain to you that the trip seems to have sterilized everyone, alas. The big advantage to Option 1, however, is that we're able to send all manner of resources, tools, shelters, and entertainments along with you, so that you will live a long, comfortable, engaging, and enjoyable life exploring the world with your android cohort.
If you choose Option 2, you'll be sent to a colony with other people, not androids! Your company—lovers and friends—will have their own thoughts, feelings, and subjective experiences. The difference is that life under Option 2 will be extraordinarily challenging, because we would on this option be unable to send all the supplies we could on Option 1. Indeed, survival is not guaranteed, and you will have to figure out shelter, food, and protection from wild (alien!) animals without the resources we are able to send you under Option 1. Your life could turn out to be uncomfortable, challenging, and, perhaps, full of despair and maybe even short—pretty much as it could be now.
Which option should you choose, and why?