Can a Robot be Human? by Cave Peter

Author:Cave, Peter [Cave, Peter]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Oneworld Publications (trade)
Published: 2011-05-30T16:00:00+00:00

Why do we prefer pains to be in the past rather than the future?

Why prefer pleasures in the future to those in the past?

Usually, we think of ourselves as being the same selves over time. Memories sharpen and decay, characters develop, circumstances radically change, yet the cry goes up, ‘But it is still me!’ It is still me, however much my hair turns grey. If I am me and as much me throughout my life, ought not I to have the same amount of regard for me, for my existence, at any time? If I am the same self over time, it would seem most rational to have the same concern for past pains as for future ones – and to be as moved by past pleasures as future. Indeed, my self that existed ten years ago should carry as much weight for me as my self that will exist ten years hence – and, indeed, my self now. Ought I not to be concerned with my self, out of time, so to speak?

Some of our different attitudes to the past, present and future can, in part, be explained by intrusions to do with uncertainty. I am more stressed by the pain I am suffering now than the one I shall suffer next week because I may be able to prevent the latter or, for some reason or other, it may not happen. Were that the key to our different attitudes to past, present and future, we ought also to be more stressed about our past pains – they definitely happened – than future ones. Yet most of us prefer the visit to the dentist to be past than future. With pain, we want to be able to exclaim, ‘Thank goodness that’s over!’

Undoubtedly, we have temporal preferences. We prefer bad things to be over. We prefer good things to be forthcoming or happening now. Yet it is unclear whether anything can justify these preferences. Indeed, if I am the same self over time, it looks as if these temporal preferences are sheer prejudices – discriminations against my life to date and in favour of my life to come.

Some have argued that we should overcome these prejudices. On this view, if, through loss of memory and medical notes, it is currently unclear whether I suffered painful procedures yesterday or shall be undergoing them tomorrow, it is mistaken to hope that it turns out that the procedures took place yesterday. Either way is as bad for me. If you hear that your children or parents or lovers have been tortured and murdered in some far-off land, but then learn that there is some confusion about whether it has happened or is about to happen, should you not be equally distressed either way (assuming that there is no hope of avoiding the outcome for them)?

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