My theory : At the heart of this theory is the question of whether it is possible to make a transformative choice rationally. This is a philosophical question that touches on issues of rationality, freewill. L.A. Paul's book "Transformative Experience," argues that our standard normative model of decision-making, cognitive modelling, is insufficient when it comes to transformative choices. Transformative experiences are both epistemically and personally transformative, and they can change our preferences in such a way that we cannot imagine what our future lived experience will be like. Therefore, it is impossible to cognitively model which decision will lead to the greatest overall happiness, and new models or adjustments are needed to make rational decisions about transformative choices. I aim to unveil a preference-based model in which the aim is to make a decision that leads to the subject's greatest overall happiness. However, because a transformative experience can lead to a change in preferences, it is impossible to predict which decision will lead to the greatest overall happiness. To overcome this problem, I redefine happiness as the attainment of desired skills and knowledge from an experience. Based on this definition, the paper proposes a normative model that helps guide people's approach to making rational decisions about transformative choices. I emphasise the importance of past transformative experiences that we have had no choice but to undertake, as they provide the boundaries and base for the proposed standard normative model. In this model, the assessment of the emotional impact of the future lived experience is a driving factor, and the decision that will ultimately emotionally impact us the most positively is judged to deliver the greatest happiness. The argument I present aims to provide a new perspective on how we approach making rational decisions regarding transformative choices. It recognizes the limitations of the standard normative model of decision-making and proposes a new normative model based on the attainment of desired skills and knowledge from a transformative experience.
My theory : At the heart of this theory is the question of whether it is possible to make a transformative choice rationally. This is a philosophical question that touches on issues of rationality, freewill. L.A. Paul's book "Transformative Experience," argues that our standard normative model of decision-making, cognitive modelling, is insufficient when it comes to transformative choices. Transformative experiences are both epistemically and personally transformative, and they can change our preferences in such a way that we cannot imagine what our future lived experience will be like. Therefore, it is impossible to cognitively model which decision will lead to the greatest overall happiness, and new models or adjustments are needed to make rational decisions about transformative choices.
I aim to unveil a preference-based model in which the aim is to make a decision that leads to the subject's greatest overall happiness. However, because a transformative experience can lead to a change in preferences, it is impossible to predict which decision will lead to the greatest overall happiness. To overcome this problem, I redefine happiness as the attainment of desired skills and knowledge from an experience. Based on this definition, the paper proposes a normative model that helps guide people's approach to making rational decisions about transformative choices.
I emphasise the importance of past transformative experiences that we have had no choice but to undertake, as they provide the boundaries and base for the proposed standard normative model. In this model, the assessment of the emotional impact of the future lived experience is a driving factor, and the decision that will ultimately emotionally impact us the most positively is judged to deliver the greatest happiness.
The argument I present aims to provide a new perspective on how we approach making rational decisions regarding transformative choices. It recognizes the limitations of the standard normative model of decision-making and proposes a new normative model based on the attainment of desired skills and knowledge from a transformative experience.
This talk was a bit repetitive - I preferred the version of this talk where she was bouncing her ideas off of Russ Roberts on EconTalk.
Enjoyed the talk, Professor. Thank you. As for deciding whether or not to become a vampire, I've decided to finish this journey with the devil I know.