Hypothetical Questions

KaneKungFu123 · #1 07-01-2005, 03:39 AM

If you were told that someone you loved was going to die in 24 hours and you could either stay with them during this time, or you could recieve $5,000,000, which would you choose?

If you were told that just for today you couldn't see someone you loved, and would be given $5,000,000 but couldn't spend it until after they died, would you choose seeing them today or the money?

vulturesrow · #2 07-01-2005, 03:45 AM

In both cases I would choose the person.

daryn · #3 07-01-2005, 04:27 AM

why on earth would you choose the person in the 2nd scenario? it seems like you have nothing to lose.. just go one day without seeing someone, and make $5M.

vulturesrow · #4 07-01-2005, 05:18 AM

[ QUOTE ]
why on earth would you choose the person in the 2nd scenario? it seems like you have nothing to lose.. just go one day without seeing someone, and make $5M.

[/ QUOTE ]

I misread the second one. Cant really see anything wrong with taking the money there.

David Sklansky · #5 07-01-2005, 04:58 AM

What about the fact that you could save thousands of childrens lives in third world countries with that money?

daryn · #6 07-01-2005, 05:06 AM

<blockquote>In risposta di:<hr />
What about the fact that you could save thousands of childrens lives in third world countries with that money?

[/ QUOTE ]

more importantly, would you cut off your own leg to prevent the tsunami??

David Sklansky · #7 07-01-2005, 05:22 PM

"more importantly, would you cut off your own leg to prevent the tsunami??"

Most people, including most pious Christians, wouldn't cut off three fingers. Since they know that in advance, they love having a religion where they can pronounce that reluctance a sin worthy of punishment for others, but not for them, as long as they later on say the right words about their fairytale beliefs.

vulturesrow · #8 07-01-2005, 05:56 PM

Your snideness is really getting old. If I knew for certain that cutting off my leg would prevent that, I would do it. Id probably need someone to the cutting for me though. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] But seriously using terms like "fairytale beliefs" isnt conducive to discussion. That said, the term fairytale beliefs doesnt actually bother me at all, mostly because of some things that G.K Chesterton wrote in his incredible book Orthodoxy.

Cyrus · #9 07-02-2005, 08:47 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Would you cut off your own leg to prevent the tsunami??

[/ QUOTE ]

In the case of war amputees, it is fair to say that, in terms of expectation, they did agree to have a limb cut off in order to do their job. One may substitute "job" with a fair description of pious and altruistic endeavors, equivalent to preventing a tsunami.

I understand and accept that a person will tend, in general, to under-estimate greatly the chances of losing a limb (or a life) in combat. The fact remains, however, that said person is not estimating, in general, that probability to be zero.

link

daryn · #10 07-02-2005, 09:36 AM

<blockquote>In risposta di:<hr />
<blockquote>In risposta di:<hr />
Would you cut off your own leg to prevent the tsunami??

[/ QUOTE ]

In the case of war amputees, it is fair to say that, in terms of expectation, they did agree to have a limb cut off in order to do their job. One may substitute "job" with a fair description of pious and altruistic endeavors, equivalent to preventing a tsunami.

I understand and accept that a person will tend, in general, to under-estimate greatly the chances of losing a limb (or a life) in combat. The fact remains, however, that said person is not estimating, in general, that probability to be zero.

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah, this reply is pretty much way off.