The Experience Machine

Today, we’re going to spend one more class session on Virtual Reality. In particular: we’ll be reading an essay we mentioned in class last week: “The Experience Machine.”

Philosophy Content

For today, simply read this summary of Robert Nozick’s discussion of the Experience Machine. Note that the link will take you to an “interactive essay,” so make sure you click around to familiarize yourself with all the content.

After you’ve worked through the interactive essay, read the full discussion here. NOTE: you only need to read the first excerpt, which is only one and a half pages!

Fiction Content

Okay, so notice that your reading this week is light. As in: VERY light. As in: like five pages.

You should therefore take the opportunity this week to get through as much of Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle as you can.