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David Pearce

Pearce argues that it is "technically feasible"technically feasible and ethically rational to abolish suffering on the planet by replacing Darwinian suffering-based motivational systems with minds animatedmotivated exclusively by "information-sensitive gradients of intelligent bliss" (as opposed to indiscriminate maxed-out bliss).pleasant experience. He stresses that this "abolitionist project" is compatible with a diverse set of values and "intentional objects".[2]

Background

Pearce argues that it is "technically feasible" and ethically rational to abolish suffering on the planet by replacing Darwinian suffering-based motivational systems with minds animated by "information-sensitive gradients of intelligent bliss" (as opposed to indiscriminate maxed-out bliss). He stresses that this "abolitionist project" is compatible with a diverse set of values and "intentional objects".studied philosophy at Brasenose College, Oxford.[2]3]

 In 1998, together with Nick Bostrom, Pearce co-founded the World Transhumanist Association, today known as Humanity+.

Abolition of suffering

Pearce argues that it is "technically feasible" and ethically rational to abolish suffering on the planet by replacing Darwinian suffering-based motivational systems with minds animated by "information-sensitive gradients of intelligent bliss" (as opposed to indiscriminate maxed-out bliss). He stresses that this "abolitionist project" is compatible with a diverse set of values and "intentional objects".[2]

Other interests

Pearce has also written on the intelligence explosion,[4] wild animal welfare,[5] philosophy of mind,[6] affective enhancement,[7] and other topics at the intersection of transhumanism and effective altruism.

  1. ^

    Pearce, David (1995) The hedonistic imperative, HedWeb.

  2. ^

    Pearce, David (2007) The abolitionist project, HedWeb.

  3. ^

    Brasenose College (2021) Notable alumni, Brasenose College.

  4. ^

    Pearce, David (2012) The biointelligence explosion, in Amnon H. Eden et al. (eds.) Singularity Hypotheses, Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg, pp. 199–238.

  5. ^

    Pearce, David (2012) A welfare state for elephants? Costs and practicalities of comprehensive healthcare for free-living African elephants, HedWeb (updated 2015).

  6. ^

    Pearce, David (2014) Does physicalism entail monistic idealism? An experimentally testable conjecture, HedWeb, September (updated October 2014).

  7. ^

    Pearce, David (2002) Utopian Pharmacology: MDMA / Ecstasy and beyond, HedWeb (updated 2020).

David Pearce (born 1959) is a philosopher and writer best known for his 1995 manifesto 'The hedonistic imperative'[1] and the associated ideas about abolishing suffering for all sentient life using biotechnology and other technologies.[2]

David Pearce is a philosopher and writer best known for his 1995 manifesto 'The hedonistic imperative'[1] and the associated ideas about abolishing suffering for all sentient life using biotechnology and other technologies.[2]

Pearce argues that it is "technically feasible" and ethically rational to abolish suffering on the planet by replacing Darwinian suffering-based motivational systems with minds animated by "information-sensitive gradients of intelligent bliss" (as opposed to indiscriminate maxed-out bliss). He stresses that this "abolitionist project" is compatible with a diverse set of values and "intentional objects" (i.e. what one is happy "about"; see Pearce 2007).[2]

In 19981998, together with Nick Bostrom, Pearce co-founded the World Transhumanist Association, today known as Humanity+.

BibliographyFurther reading

Tomasik, Brian (2016) Why I don’t focus on the Hedonistic Imperative, Essays on Reducing Suffering, October 5 (updated 20 July 2017).

Eradication of sufferingHedWeb. Wikipedia entry.Official website.

Humanity+.

Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies.

Invincible Wellbeing. Official website.

Lifeboat Foundation.

  1. ^

    Pearce, David (1995) The hedonistic imperative, HedWeb.

  2. ^

    Pearce, David (2007) The abolitionist project, HedWeb.

Pearce is the director of bioethics of Invincible Wellbeing and is on the advisory boards of the Center on Long-Term Risk, the Organisation for the Prevention of Intense Suffering and the Qualia Research Institute. He is also a fellow of the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies and is on the futurist advisory board of the Lifeboat Foundation.

Pearce, David (2007) The abolitionist project, HedWeb.HedWeb.

Pearce, David (1995) The hedonistic imperative, HedWeb.HedWeb.

Lifeboat Foundation.

David Pearce is a philosopher and writer best known for his 1995 manifesto The Hedonistic Imperative'The hedonistic imperative' and the associated ideas about abolishing suffering for all sentient life using biotechnology and other technologies.

Pearce argues that it is "technically feasible" and ethically rational to abolish suffering on the planet by replacing Darwinian suffering-based motivational systems with minds animated by "information-sensitive gradients of intelligent bliss" (as opposed to indiscriminate maxed-out bliss). He stresses that this "abolitionist"abolitionist project" is compatible with a diverse set of values and "intentional objects" (i.e. what one is happy "about"); see Pearce 2007).

Pearce is the director of bioethics of Invincible Wellbeing and is on the advisory boards of the Organisation for the Prevention of Intense Suffering and the Qualia Research Institute. He is also a fellow of the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies and is on the futurist advisory board of the Lifeboat FoundationFoundation.

Bibliography

Pearce, David (2007) The abolitionist project, HedWeb.

Pearce, David (1995) The hedonistic imperative, HedWeb.

Wikipedia (2020) Eradication of suffering, Wikipedia, May 26 (updated 16 August 2021‎).

Humanity+.

Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies.

Invincible Wellbeing.

Lifeboat Foundation