Tommy Blanchard

Tommy Blanchard explores the complexities of judging life's value through the lens of the peak-end rule - a phenomenon where our memories of experiences are shaped disproportionately by the most intense moments and the ending. This bias raises profound questions: Do we value the in-the-moment experience, our anticipated desires, or how we later reconstruct memories? Blanchard argues there is no privileged perspective from which to judge a life's worth. Our faulty memories, shifting preferences, and inability to truly sum up an existence reveal the contradictions inherent in utilitarian ethics. Ultimately, he posits that every viewpoint holds value as we navigate life's peaks and ends.