Page "Robert Nozick" Paragraph 18

Nozick created the thought experiment of the " utility monster " to show that average utilitarianism could lead to a situation where the needs of the vast majority were sacrificed for one individual.

He also devised the thought experiment of The Experience Machine in an attempt to show that ethical hedonism was false.

Nozick asked us to imagine that " superduper neuropsychologists " have figured out a way to stimulate a person's brain to induce pleasurable experiences.

We would not be able to tell that these experiences were not real.

He asks us, if we were given the choice, would we choose a machine-induced experience of a wonderful life over real life?

Nozick says no, then asks whether we have reasons not to plug into the machine and concludes that since it does not seem to be rational to plug in, ethical hedonism must be false.