Samarth Bansal
@samarthbansal
Samarth Bansal
Imagine if governments decided to add Prozac, an antidepressant, to the public water supply with the intention of enhancing the population's overall happiness. What ethical, medical, and social implications would arise from this decision, considering the principles of consent, the nature of happiness, and the potential impacts on societal well-bein... See more
Greil Marcus: "Why I Write"
yalereview.org
“I realized I had a choice as a writer: make the world bigger and more interesting and live in that world, and find a life’s work, or shrink everything down to your own crabbed and paltry self, hang on for years conning editors and publishers and yourself, and find your life’s a lie.”
The Benevolent Dictator: Would you prefer a perfectly just and efficient dictatorship or a flawed democracy? This experiment prompts us to consider the value we place on individual freedom and political participation versus effective governance.
A system which lasted so long and ended so recently has naturally left a profound impression upon men’s thoughts and opinions. Much that we take for granted about the desirability of work is derived from this system and, being pre-industrial, is not adapted to the modern world. Modern technic has made it possible for leisure, within limits, to be n
... See moreBertrand Russell • In Praise of Idleness and Other Essays
The Repugnant Conclusion: Imagine a world with a vast population living lives barely worth living. Now compare it to a world with a much smaller population enjoying very high quality of life. Which world is better? This experiment, posed by philosopher Derek Parfit, challenges our intuitions about the nature of a good society and the importance we ... See more
The Experience Machine: If you could plug into a machine that would give you any experience you desired, would you do it? This experiment, proposed by philosopher Robert Nozick, questions the value of living in the real world versus a simulated reality tailored to one's preferences. It challenges the notion of hedonism, the idea that pleasure is th
... See more