Things vs Feelings

This makes me wonder if humans would do the same.

It's already clear from heroin, crack, meth etc that people stop caring about other things when they are able to get a quick fix of positive feelings.

I wonder if you wired someone up like they did the rat, what would happen?

I guess we'll never find out.

Even meth addicts eat occasionally I guess

This throws into question what I was saying about it being conscious actions that this affects.

Are rats conscious?
 
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I think the balance between pain and pleasure is important to consider.

If I had a "pleasure button" then I would indeed keep pressing it until the pleasure received no longer outweighed the pain from avoiding necessities like food and sleep.

But regarding actual things, The achievement of good feelings through actions or things is at the same time counteracting the pain that would come from inaction, or not having things, so substitution is hardly a satisfactory response when it's only appeasing half of the desires at stake at most. Buying a new car not only allows you to feel good, but removes the inconvenience of your current situation (old/no car, for example). If you were to, say, go do some heroin instead of buying the car, sure, you are achieving your happiness, but you still haven't removed the "pain" of not having a new car. The more dynamic the consequences become, the more crucial it becomes to have the right catalyst for achieving certain responses. I think the reasons behind our choices are more dynamic than only seeking pleasure. For this reason I believe the thing itself does matter.
 
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