Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy
From: ohgs@chatham.demon.co.uk (Oliver Sparrow)
Path: cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!das-news2.harvard.edu!news2.near.net!news.mathworks.com!news.kei.com!uhog.mit.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!howland.reston.ans.net!pipex!demon!chatham.demon.co.uk!ohgs
Subject: Re: happiness and population
References: <Cxw75F.5s@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>
Organization: Royal Institute of International Affairs
Reply-To: ohgs@chatham.demon.co.uk
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Date: Thu, 20 Oct 1994 07:33:44 +0000
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How sad to beleive that "happiness" is a quality of existence that sits about
in etheric vats, added to by individually-irrelevant humans. There is a whole
literature on the role of hedonism in decision paths (contingent valuation,
implicit discount rate estimation and the like) which allows one to get a 
handle on how real humans balance externalities (clean air, safe streets) 
against private affluence. This nineteenth century view has that sense of 
isolated introverts, safely excoriating a frightening world from behind drawn
lace curtains. 

To the author of the text which is discussed, therefore, "get a life".
_________________________________________________

  Oliver Sparrow
  ohgs@chatham.demon.co.uk
