Future bias.

[srb7677]

Now you're boasting, B0ycey.

[Barry]

Two hours pleasure tomorrow.

Now you're boasting, B0ycey. 

[Nalaar]

Two hours pleasure tomorrow.

Which is consistent with you having a bias towards future events. 

[B0ycey]

Does it?
Would you rather have 4 hours of pleasure yesterday, after which your memory was erased. Or 2 hours of pleasure tomorrow, after which your memory will be erased?

Two hours pleasure tomorrow. 

[Nalaar]

Pleasure to come is always better than pleasure already gone because it is yet to be enjoyed, even if you are going to forget about it afterwards. So I would rather 2 hours of pleasure tomorrow

Again i think this is the common answer, and again presents the future bias in human thinking.

[srb7677]

Does it?
Would you rather have 4 hours of pleasure yesterday, after which your memory was erased. Or 2 hours of pleasure tomorrow, after which your memory will be erased?

Pleasure to come is always better than pleasure already gone because it is yet to be enjoyed, even if you are going to forget about it afterwards. So I would rather 2 hours of pleasure tomorrow

[Nalaar]

The same is true for your thought experiment too. Change the idea from pain to pleasure and the answer people pick changes surely.

Does it?
Would you rather have 4 hours of pleasure yesterday, after which your memory was erased. Or 2 hours of pleasure tomorrow, after which your memory will be erased?

[B0ycey]

The only variable in the thought experiment in the OP is the length of time the patients suffers, and if it happened the past or the future.
The variables in the thought experiment you presented are endless.

The same is true for your thought experiment too. Change the idea from pain to pleasure and the answer people pick changes surely.

[Nalaar]

Besides, thought experiments are always a product of bias anyway. If I made one up asking would you rather be 16 again and unable to drink or 80 with a case of fine wine and whisky, if everyone said they would rather be 16 again would that mean we give more weight to the past than the future?

The only variable in the thought experiment in the OP is the length of time the patients suffers, and if it happened the past or the future.
The variables in the thought experiment you presented are endless.

[Nalaar]

This is quite obviously because the past is over and done with, and any pain associated with it no longer having to be endured. Bad things over and done with are always preferable to bad things we have yet to endure. If we cannot avoid what is bad we want to get it out of the way.

The opposite is true of good things. Good things yet to come are obviously preferable to good things already gone, because the pleasure is still there waiting to be enjoyed.

The future will also be in the past.

From the perspective of the future would you rather of endured the 4 hour surgery or the 2 hour surgery?

[B0ycey]

As far as I am see this is the common answer, people would rather know they endured 4 hours of pain in the past rather than 2 hours of pain in the future. Despite the fact that after both surgery's people would rather the 2 hours to they 4 hours. Showing how much weight we give to the future than the past.

Surely it is more to do with the fact that the past cannot be changed but the future is uncertain. If you have endured pain, regardless of length, that sensation is over. If you have yet to endure it, yet know you will, why would anyone want to suffer when they don't have to?

As for giving more weight to the future over the past, I doubt that is true. More people reminisce about the past than they plan the future. Everyone wants to turn back the clock but nobody wants to speed it up and those things we look forward to we are more than happy to wait anyway. 

Besides, thought experiments are always a product of bias anyway. If I made one up asking would you rather be 16 again and unable to drink or 80 with a case of fine wine and whisky, if everyone said they would rather be 16 again would that mean we give more weight to the past than the future?

[srb7677]

As far as I am see this is the common answer, people would rather know they endured 4 hours of pain in the past rather than 2 hours of pain in the future. Despite the fact that after both surgery's people would rather the 2 hours to they 4 hours. Showing how much weight we give to the future than the past.

This is quite obviously because the past is over and done with, and any pain associated with it no longer having to be endured. Bad things over and done with are always preferable to bad things we have yet to endure. If we cannot avoid what is bad we want to get it out of the way.

The opposite is true of good things. Good things yet to come are obviously preferable to good things already gone, because the pleasure is still there waiting to be enjoyed.

[Nalaar]

You might as well asked would you rather of had surgery or have surgery. Like most things, wouldn't everyone rather get it out the way?

As far as I am see this is the common answer, people would rather know they endured 4 hours of pain in the past rather than 2 hours of pain in the future. Despite the fact that after both surgery's people would rather the 2 hours to they 4 hours. Showing how much weight we give to the future than the past. 

[T00ts]

I'd rather be the nurse.

[cromwell]

Neither