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• Hmm...I'm not convinced.

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Using Polya's list of heuristics to figure out how to be as happy as possible

Solve a simpler version of the problem

When trying to figure out the best life, start with simple versions of the problem:

• If you're in solitary confinement in prison for the rest of your life and have very restricted choices, what would be the best course of action for you?
• If you're on death row and you have one day left, and say you can choose between playing board games or watch movies, could we say that one of those paths is better than the other? Or is it impossible? Or is the question nonsense?

How would you make a worm as happy as possible?

How would you make a dog as happy as possible?

How would yourself as happy as possible if you only had one hour left to live and no limits on what you could do (eg you had a genie granting you a last request)?

How would yourself as happy as possible if you only had one day left to live and no limits on what you could do (eg you had a genie granting you a last request)?