If one weighs whether one wants to act in a certain way in specific circumstances, and, if the reasons add up so that they mostly want to act that way, then that act would best satisfy their preferences with respect to how they want to act in those specific circumstances. Is this correct? — Aleph Numbers
Good point. I'm mostly referring to instances in which the act is weighed via evaluation of reasons. That being said, I'll try to better explain what I mean: someone might want to drink soda because it is sweet and they like sweet things, but they also want to avoid gaining weight. If they weigh these two preferences and decide that they think their desire to drink soda outweighs their desire to manage their weight, then their desire to drink soda has won out (or so it would seem). I'm asking if in such a situation it can be said that the person can be said to be satisfying their preferences with respect to how they want to act in those specific circumstances if they drink the soda. Or is it only a partial satisfying of preferences because they are not also managing their weight, another still existing preference? — Aleph Numbers
However, what if they are in conflict? What then? Would the more pressing preference "best" serve to satisfy our preferences with respect to how we want to act? — Aleph Numbers
I'm asking if in such a situation it can be said that the person can be said to be satisfying their preferences with respect to how they want to act in those specific circumstances if they drink the soda. — Aleph Numbers
This in turn makes me consider if bodily pleasures should win out over some sort of "higher order" happiness. — Aleph Numbers
However, the addict using a substance might still result in the greatest amount of bodily pleasure — Aleph Numbers
However, most people, I think, would argue that some sort of lasting happiness would be preferable to an addiction. — Aleph Numbers
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