Summary

An intertemporal utility function represents how willing you are to delay gratification— how much you discount future gains. This function differs from person to person, but is said to remain constant throughout time for each individual. Buddha argues that for an aggregate to constitute an aspect of a self, it must be enduring and permanent. However, people change in all kinds of ways, almost all the time.

When psychologists alter one’s state of mind, one’s decisions change along various dimensions. For example, when men are shown pictures of attractive women, they discount future earnings and would much rather be given money now.

Similarly, when participants are shown clips of a horror movie they will tend to want to visit whatever attraction many crowds visit. When they are shown clips of a romantic movie, they will want...