THE STORY OF THE LUCKY SPACE-TIME TRAVELER

A story is told about a Space-Time Traveler who was transported to an age in the very distant future and found a civilization with a technology infinitely more advanced than ours. For some reason he was regarded as a hero, and even though he had no way of understanding the aliens’ language or of making his wishes known to them, they indicated clearly that they wanted to give him the greatest reward in their power. They took him to a machine, sat him down on a seat within, and put electrodes on his head. At first he had no way of knowing their intent, and by the time he realized what they were going to do it was too late – he was firmly secured and could not protest. The people in the alien culture wished to guarantee him a life totally filled with pleasure and completely free from pain, and so they had made sure that the rest of his life would be governed by the machine that enclosed him. In that machine he would be able to do nothing and would be cut off from any contact with the world around him, but would continually enjoy electrically-stimulated sensations and thoughts of the most pleasant kind. As the story ends, the aliens are congratulating themselves on their generosity, and the Space-Time Traveler realizes, with horror and revulsion, the fate that is in store for him.

Do you agree that this is a terrible fate for the Space-Time Traveler? Why?

Hypothetical: Suppose the Space-Time Traveler had to stay in the machine forever, but had some control over the sensations he would receive. How would that affect your view of his fate? Why?

-- G. B.