Would we choose to live life over again?

Von Hartman, Leibniz, Kant and Nietzsche

What is Von Hartman’s thought experiment

Death comes to a man just before the moment of death and asks if he would want to live life over again the exact same way (with no memory of his previous life)

Does Von Hartman think that one would choose to live life over again (the exact same way)?

No

Would Leibniz agree with Von Hartmann that one would not choose to live the exact same life over again? Why or why not?

Yes, because such a life would lack variety from the previous one.

Would Kant agree with Von Hartmann that one would not choose to live the exact same life over again? Why or why not?

Yes, Kant would give the negative response that non-existence would be preferable to any existence.

Von Hartman thinks that a man might opt to live life over again, however….

This is not a reflection of his evaluation of life.

According to Von Hartman, in what instance might someone opt to live life again?

Out of fear of death, or what lies beyond death.

According to Von Hartman, what is the significance of someone pausing to think on weather they would want to live the same life over again?

It might point to a pessimistic conclusion. If life is undeniably worth living, then one would not hesitate to choose life.

Ultimately, Von Hartman thinks that the preferability of existence to non-existence is unclear due to the bias of what?

The bias that comes with the desire to “live at all costs” in order to escape the fear of death.

What does Von Hartman mean by we are misled by the bias of ‘instinct and passion’?

The temporary satisfaction we get from fulfilling our needs misleads us to believe that our lives are better than they actually are. In reality, we are just surviving.

What is Leibniz’s thought experiment?

If a person at the brink of death were to be asked if they would want to live life again with the same overall mix of pain and pleasure, what would they say?

Does Leibniz think that if given the option of living life again with the same balance of good and evil but with different particulars, we would take it?

Yes.

According to Leibniz, what is the significance of a person’s opinion on the afterlife affecting whether or not they would want to live life again?

If people did not believe in the afterlife, most of them, when facing death, would still be willing to live life over again, even with the same amount of pain and pleasure.

According to Leibniz, what is the main condition that would make a person choose life?

They would prefer not to live the exact repetitions of the same events.

According to Leibniz, why would a person want to live life with the same mix of pain and pleasure, but not a literal replay of the exact same life?

He believes that people don’t demand a better life, just a different one.

According to Leibniz, even though there is suffering, the overall experience is what?

Valuable enough that people would choose to live again rather than not exist.

Leibniz’s life-affirming view supports what broader claim?

That this is the best of all possible worlds.

What is Kant’s thought experiment?

He asks whether we would ‘want to play the game of life over again’. Not just the exact same life, but any life.

Kant believes that people who have been through life long enough to be able to evaluate its value, they would all have the same response. What?

They would not want to live life over again.

Does Kant ever explicitly say that they would not want to live life over again?

No, he just implies it.

What is significant about Kant saying that, given the option of living ANY life after this one, we would reject it?

We would not just reject living the exact same life again because we think that would be boring. We would reject any version of life, even a better one.

How does Kan’t example differ from Leibniz’s?

In Leibniz’s example, we cannot determine whether or not the individual is making a choice to live life again based on their perception of the value of life, or because of their fear of death.

Kant says that even by extracting the prospect of death, our choice would still be what?

Not to live life over again.

What is Nietzsche’s thought experiment?

A demon tells you that you must live your life again, exactly the same way, over and over for all eternity. Would your reaction be happy or upset?

What is important to note about Nietzsche’s perspective on whether life is worth living?

Nietzsche is not wonder wheather or not life is worth affirming, his assumption seems to be that it is. The question is whether we are strong enough to succeed in affirming it.

Despite being a self-proclaimed pessimist, Nietzsche has what kind of perspective?

A life affirming perspective

How do Von Hartman’s, Kant's, and Nietzsche’s thought experiments differ in what they are trying to prove?

Both Kant and Von Hartmann seem to be trying to put life on a scale and measure whether life is worthwhile. Nietzsche thinks life is objectively worth living. Nietzsche’s thought experiment serves to test whether the modern man is capable of affirming life.

How does Nietzsche’s thought experiment differ from Von Hartmann’s and Liebniz’s?

The questions is not posed to the man when he is at the brink of death.