This dichotomy also describes akrasia fairly well, though I’d hesitate to say it truly explains it. Akrasia is what happens when we maximize our hedons at the expense of our utilons. We play video games/watch TV/post on blogs because it feels good, and we feel bad about it because, first, “it feels good” is not recognized as a major positive value in most of our utilon-functions, and second, because doing our homework is recognized as a major positive value in our utilon functions. The experience makes us procrastinate and our values make us feel guilty about it. Just as we should not needlessly multiply causes, neither should we erroneously merge them.
I’m sorry, but this cannot possibly explain the akrasia I have experienced. Living a purposefully hedonistic life is widely considered low-status, so most people do not admit to their consciously hedonistic goals. Thus, the goals we hear about akrasia preventing people from pursuing are all noble, selfless goals: “I would like to do this thing that provides me utility but not hedonistic pleasure, but that damned akrasia is stopping me.” With that as your only evidence, it is not unreasonable that you should conclude that akrasia occurs because of the divide between utilons and hedons.
Someone has to take the status hit and end this silence, and it might as well be me. I live my live mostly hedonically. I apologize to everyone who wanted me to optimize for their happiness, but that’s the truth. (I may write a top level article eventually in defense of this position.) So, my utility and my hedonic pleasure are basically unified. But I still suffer akrasia! I will sometimes have an activity rich with hedons available to me, but I will instead watch TV and settle for the meager trickle of hedons it provides. I procrastinate in taking pleasure! It is a surprising result, one that a non-hedonist would likely not predict, but it’s true. This thing we call akrasia has deeper roots than just resistance against self-abnegation.
I will sometimes have an activity rich with hedons available to me, but I will instead watch TV and settle for the meager trickle of hedons it provides.
Is there a time-horizon aspect to this behavior? (That is, can it be explained by saying that highly enjoyable activities with some start-up time are deferred in favor of flopping on the couch and grabbing the remote control?)
I’m sorry, but this cannot possibly explain the akrasia I have experienced. Living a purposefully hedonistic life is widely considered low-status, so most people do not admit to their consciously hedonistic goals. Thus, the goals we hear about akrasia preventing people from pursuing are all noble, selfless goals: “I would like to do this thing that provides me utility but not hedonistic pleasure, but that damned akrasia is stopping me.” With that as your only evidence, it is not unreasonable that you should conclude that akrasia occurs because of the divide between utilons and hedons.
Someone has to take the status hit and end this silence, and it might as well be me. I live my live mostly hedonically. I apologize to everyone who wanted me to optimize for their happiness, but that’s the truth. (I may write a top level article eventually in defense of this position.) So, my utility and my hedonic pleasure are basically unified. But I still suffer akrasia! I will sometimes have an activity rich with hedons available to me, but I will instead watch TV and settle for the meager trickle of hedons it provides. I procrastinate in taking pleasure! It is a surprising result, one that a non-hedonist would likely not predict, but it’s true. This thing we call akrasia has deeper roots than just resistance against self-abnegation.
Is there a time-horizon aspect to this behavior? (That is, can it be explained by saying that highly enjoyable activities with some start-up time are deferred in favor of flopping on the couch and grabbing the remote control?)
Smiling is an example of hedonistic activity with no start-up time.