Wouldn't it be depressing to know for sure that you were a machine, presuming that you could know? I suppose the machinist could program you to know (few mechanists seem to realize that their machine metaphor implies a machinist, but it seems to me it would have to, since we don't know of any machines that just happen to be; in fact, you might say that it is of the essence of a machine to be an artifact). But once you knew, however you knew, you would also know that you - qua you - are just somebody else's instrument. What you are made to do may have some value for them, but hardly for you.
I wonder if the mechanists understand their affinity with Deists?
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