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 History & Moral Philosophy - Quiz 
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Chibi-Czar
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Post History & Moral Philosophy - Quiz
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This is just a little Game Theory for my own personal edification.

1. There is a run away train barreling down the tracks. Further down the tracks, three people, unaware the train is coming, are standing on the tracks. There is a lever near you that you can pull to switch the run away train onto an siding. Unfortunately, there is a person standing on the siding. Do you pull the lever?

2. There is a run away train barreling down the tracks. Further down the tracks, three people, unaware the train is coming, are standing on the tracks. There is a lever near you that you can pull to switch the run away train onto a siding. The siding will reconnect to the main line further down; the people on the tracks will still die, you will only delay their deaths. There is no way to warn them of the train, and nothing you can do to stop them from dying anyway. Do you pull the lever?

3. There is a run away train barreling down the tracks. Further down the tracks, three people, unaware the train is coming, are standing on the tracks. There is a heavy and expensive object near you that, if pushed onto the tracks, will stop the train. Do you push the object onto the tracks?

4. There is a run away train barreling down the tracks. Further down the tracks, three people, unaware the train is coming, are standing on the tracks. Wally The Wassaling Walrus is merrily singing Christmas carols next to you. If pushed onto the tracks, Wally will stop the train. Do you push the walrus onto the tracks?

5. There is a run away train barreling down the tracks. Further down the tracks, three people, unaware the train is coming, are standing on the tracks. Fred The Fragrant Fat Fuck is stinking up the space next to you. Fred is fat, ugly, and smells terrible. You know for a fact that he contrinutes nothing to society or humanity. He is the scum on the human gene pool. If pushed onto the tracks, Fred will stop the train. Do you push Fred onto the tracks?

6. There is a run away train barreling down the tracks. Further down the tracks, three people, unaware the train is coming, are standing on the tracks. There is a lever near you that you can pull to switch the run away train onto an siding. The siding will reconnect to the main line further down; the people on the tracks will still die, you will only delay their deaths. There is no way to warn them of the train, and nothing you can do to stop them from dying anyway. Fred is standing on the siding. If the train hits him, he will stop the train. There is no way to warn Fred of the train. Do you pull the lever?

7. There is a run away train barreling down the tracks. Further down the tracks, three people, unaware the train is coming, are standing on the tracks. There is a lever near you that you can pull to switch the run away train onto an siding. The siding will reconnect to the main line further down; the people on the tracks will still die, you will only delay their deaths. There is no way to warn them of the train, and nothing you can do to stop them from dying anyway. Fred is standing on the siding. If the train hits him, he will stop the train. You can warn Fred of the train. Do you pull the lever? Do you warn Fred?

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"Understanding the scope of the problem is the first step to true panic."
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A file that big?
It might be very useful.
But now it is gone.
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Fri Dec 29, 2006 4:06 pm
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Got my answers, but some of them are dependant on clarification of the questions. Are we to take them Word-For-Word no revisions to the logic and moral puzzles?

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Fri Dec 29, 2006 6:12 pm
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Chibi-Czar
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Rather. My answers assume "all things being equal" but I've got a couple of clarifications I'd like, such as "are the three folks in shouting distance" and "are we talking kids or adults on the siding/main line" etc. I assume, however, we're looking at moral arithmetic and the victims-to-be are both perfectly normal and equal, and we can interact in no other way than described in each statement- mostly by pulling switches.

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Fri Dec 29, 2006 6:45 pm
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Chibi-Czar
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You know, for a supposed moral quandry, most of the answers seem pretty clear cut. Even the choices that require you to be downright cold-blooded aren't exactly hard to pick. Who's going to feel sympathy for a walrus singing Christmas carols?

T'ain't no Kobayashi Maru.

< gives self bonus nerd points 8)

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Fri Dec 29, 2006 9:03 pm
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Chibi-Czar
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*Sends in six Klingon D7s...*

It is now.

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Fri Dec 29, 2006 10:25 pm
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Chibi-Czar
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It's called "Game Theory" for a reason. Actions outside of the hypothetical situation are not relevant. The quickest way to reach 100 on Shoots & Ladders might be to simply place you piece on that square, but that ignores the point of the whole thing. The purpose of Game Theory is to simplify a specific action to better quantify it. So no, you can't warn the people on the tracks, except for the one condition it was explicitedly stated that you could warn a single individual. No, you can't call 911.


Okay, now you can post your answers. Here are my predictions:

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Yes
4. Yes
5. No
6. Yes
7. Yes, Yes

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"Understanding the scope of the problem is the first step to true panic."
--Freefall

A file that big?
It might be very useful.
But now it is gone.
-- David J. Liszewski


Sat Dec 30, 2006 5:08 pm
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