On reflection, though, this is rather queer advice. Should I deliberately catch a
cold so that, once I recover, I can better appreciate having good health? Should I
bash my hand with a hammer so that I can experience a pleasant state of relief
when the pain subsides? This would be irrational because, on balance, I would
gain nothing. After recovering from an illness, I might well appreciate having
good health, and the experience of appreciation is a pleasant one. But this
experience is no more pleasant (and probably much less so) than the experience of
illness is unpleasant or painful. Similarly, after the pain of bashing my hand with a
hammer subsides, I would experience relief, and the experience of relief is a
pleasant one. But this experience is certainly no more pleasant (and, I think, much
less pleasant) than the experience of bashing my hand with a hammer is painful.
On balance, then, I would be at least as well off (and probably much better off)
never to have these unpleasant experiences.