I think it could be liberating, in that it forces us to accept that our true motivations are always ultimately hedonistic. Why do we pursue the instrumental (for most) goals you mentioned (writing, painting, composing)? Because the limbic system rewards you for doing so, as their satisfaction increases the probability of further satisfaction of instrumental goals, such as the acquisition of esteem, wealth, power, etc. which in turn increases the probability of the satisfaction of ultimate goals like access to food and sex. Why do you like to play “Heroes of Might and Magic II”? Because of the illusion of the satisfaction of instrumental goals and the attendant reward. Why did hacking the game ruin this? Because doing so spoiled the illusion, leading to the denial of further reward.
The question is, knowing this, will we be able to simply enjoy the satisfaction of our ultimate goals—- endless consumption of automatically generated art, food, sex, drugs, love, etc. Or will we feel forever hollow in our failure to accomplish ‘genuine’ instrumental goals, in a way that cannot be overcome by the ersatz instrumental goals of video games?
Perhaps ultimately we will create virtual environments in which we are perfectly deceived as to their virtual nature, so as to experience the satisfaction of ‘genuine’ instrumental goals, and in so doing come full circle.
> endless consumption of automatically generated art, food, sex, drugs, love, etc.
I think that not all human desires are a matter of consumption. Some wise people say they even got rich by giving. At least love is such a thing.
My stance is that art and love cannot be consumed, it is what happens to one. Now don't ask me to quantify or proof that. I will leave that to a future AI, but for that it needs to be a perfect, transcendental mind.
The question is, knowing this, will we be able to simply enjoy the satisfaction of our ultimate goals—- endless consumption of automatically generated art, food, sex, drugs, love, etc. Or will we feel forever hollow in our failure to accomplish ‘genuine’ instrumental goals, in a way that cannot be overcome by the ersatz instrumental goals of video games?
Perhaps ultimately we will create virtual environments in which we are perfectly deceived as to their virtual nature, so as to experience the satisfaction of ‘genuine’ instrumental goals, and in so doing come full circle.