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kaaatieI have a hypothetical question related to a conversation that I've been having...
Let's presume that there's a group of prisoners (let's say 10 of them). An executioner puts them all in a position where each individual has a 50% chance of surviving (and a 50% chance of dying). There's no chance of escape, and no chance of rescue. However, if one of the prisoners volunteers to take the 50% chance of dying, then the other prisoners are all guaranteed to survive. The question is: do you think one of them would volunteer? Do you think the size of the group would influence the outcome?
Now, a different example.
A group of people are working in an office, and someone comes in and offers them all a chance to be given a new car (a corvette). Each individual has a 50% chance of getting a new car. However, if one person agrees to take the 50% chance at the car, then everyone else is guaranteed to get a new car. Do you think someone would volunteer? Do you think people would be more or less likely to volunteer in this example versus the other example?
I think this seems like the perfect opportunity for a poll:
[Poll #1194893]
Let's presume that there's a group of prisoners (let's say 10 of them). An executioner puts them all in a position where each individual has a 50% chance of surviving (and a 50% chance of dying). There's no chance of escape, and no chance of rescue. However, if one of the prisoners volunteers to take the 50% chance of dying, then the other prisoners are all guaranteed to survive. The question is: do you think one of them would volunteer? Do you think the size of the group would influence the outcome?
Now, a different example.
A group of people are working in an office, and someone comes in and offers them all a chance to be given a new car (a corvette). Each individual has a 50% chance of getting a new car. However, if one person agrees to take the 50% chance at the car, then everyone else is guaranteed to get a new car. Do you think someone would volunteer? Do you think people would be more or less likely to volunteer in this example versus the other example?
I think this seems like the perfect opportunity for a poll:
[Poll #1194893]
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Date: 2008-05-31 04:28 am (UTC)That story is very interesting (and sad). I think that it takes a certain sort of person to do that, but there certainly are people around who would willingly sacrifice themselves for the greater good. John Sheppard would!
I asked a few people at my work about the car example, and I was surprised by the number of people who thought that people would be less likely to volunteer in that situation. I would like to think that more people would volunteer --- as you said, they still have a 50% chance.