Autzoo.1615
net.math
utzoo!laura
Mon May  3 10:13:09 1982
Newcomb's paradox <AGAIN>
I think I missed the paradox.  Obviously there is something that I am
not understanding -- I suppose I must be one of those people who see
this paradox so biasedly that they miss the point.  If someone can tell
me where I am wrong, I would appreciate it.

Take both boxes.  If there arent any goodies in Box B when you open the
door and make your selection, then choosing Box B wont make them appear.
(Yes I have problems with Shrodinger's Cat, too).  Take both boxes -- if
you can get away with it take all the furniture and other contents of the
room too -- you may be able to sell them for a profit.  If the computer
is going to screw you by not leaving the money in the box, then you are
going to be screwed anyway, if you take only box B you will get nothing!

Now you can try to fool the computer into thinking that it is safe for it
to leave the money -- you can study yoga or hypnotism to try and create
the erroneous impression within you, or better yet you could work very hard
and get your computer science degree in AI under the professor(s) who
designed the algorithm(s) which give the computer the 99.9% accuracy.

Psyching out the computer is one thing, but once it is time to enter that
room and choose, the computer has already set things up for you.  Get
both boxes -- and hope that through what ever kinnivance and luck you have,
you will win it all.  If you dont, take your medicine -- remembering that
taking only Box B would not have yielded you any better result.


<SO ADVOCATING B? TAKING ANY BOX ARE PEOPLE WHY ONLY>

                                               confused,

                                               Laura Creighton

                                               decvax!utzoo!laura

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