Weijers, D. M. (2018). Experience machine experiments: Testing the importance of relationships and individual differences. Presented at the 3rd Australasian Experimental Philosophy Conference, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand.
Abstract
Recent experiments on experience machines reveal that living in reality doesn’t always dominate our prudential preferences. Felipe de Brigard (2010) and others have suggested that our preference for the status quo is a major driver of our experience machine-related preferences, despite this preference appearing to be an irrational bias. Basil Smith (2012) has argued that our preference to maintain existing relationships may explain the status quo result and reflect a prudentially rational decision. In order to further investigate the psychological mechanisms underlying experience machine-related preferences, I report on a survey of individual differences and experience machine preferences in experience machine scenarios with varying kinds relationships available. The individual differences tested include wellbeing, personality, familiarity with technology, and demographic variables.
