= 27d567bc2d48d9f40e9ccc20ea370b15)
bbleeker comments on What Would You Do If You Only Had Six Months To Live? - Less Wrong
You are viewing a comment permalink. View the original post to see all comments and the full post content.
= 783df68a0f980790206b9ea87794c5b6)
Loading…= b715d02e85f7b3b4ae65ca3d3e450868)
Subscribe to RSS Feed
Powered by Reddit
= f037147d6e6c911a85753b9abdedda8d)
You are viewing a comment permalink. View the original post to see all comments and the full post content.
Comments (42)
Maybe you can get some insight that way, but of course there are important differences. If I really had only 6 months to live, I'd stop working and dieting right now and go buy some beer. If I still had 70 years to live, I'd want go back to school and learn another profession.
All utilitarian calculations, to my knowledge, have to start with an examination of one's goals. If your primary goal is to enjoy life (nothing wrong with that), then that approach is fine. If your goal is to help the world, then I'm arguing there are things you can do in your six months that others can't or won't because the behaviors are too dangerous.
Maybe there are, but I bet they don't involve translating boring business software. So if I heard that diagnosis today, the first thing I'd do (after telling my husband) is email my customers I'm retiring for health reasons, then I'd go out to buy some of that nice, strong beer I've not been not drinking lately because I want to lose weight, and then I'd start thinking about what to do next.
But maybe I should start thinking about it now. Realistically, I expect to die of cancer sometime between 20 and 30 years from now, based on my family history. When I'm an 80-90-year-old woman with cancer, what will I be able to do? Can't be anything physically demanding, because I'll be sick and in pain... Well, with any luck, I have 20 years to think of something.