Game Theory Boat Scenario - What would you do?

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BRUTALITOPS

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*spoilers for anyone that is that much out of the loop. This contains a scenario that has happened in the dark knight*















I'm pretty sure this has something to do with game theory. Don't quote me on that but I think I'm right. This scenario was recently featured in the film the "Dark Knight," for those that are unaware. I'm changing a few things around slightly.

Lately, I have discussed this issue with many of my friends, and pretty much everyone around me gives me this look as if I am the most cruel, heartless person on the planet. I give the look that they are seriously mentally retarded for not making a snap judgment on what to do.

The scenario is as follows: There are two boats, each with 300 people. You are on one of these boats. It is brought to your attention that each boat has a bomb on it. Additionally, each boat has a button, that when pushed, will blow up the opposing boat.

Both boats have 15 minutes to make a decision. If neither boat chooses to blow up the opposing boat, they both will blow up when the 15 minutes is up. You CANNOT communicate with the other boat so you don't know what they will do. NOR can you escape from the boat that you are on, NOR can you diffuse the bomb.

Essentially, if you do nothing, the other boat will either blow you up, or you all will get blown up after the 15 minutes are up. What do you do??

Additional variables:

-Does your decision change if the other boat is full of 300 prisoners convicted of varying crimes?

- Does your decision change based on the possibility that both boats may end up not blown up after all? What percentage change would you need for you not to push the button? 10%? 20%? 30%?


For me, I've told everyone this is an INSTA-PUSH of the button. I'd hit the button without a second thought, no remorse, and I would sleep soundly the very same night. But that's me.

Discuss.
 
Push the button before he does.



But I wouldn't sleep soundly for a loooooong time.
 
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I hate to think of it that way, but among 300 people on the other boat, there will be more than one, or more than a few, who won't hesitate to push their button and destroy the 300 on your boat. I'd push the button.
 
Push the button, ethically you would try to save as many people as possible. As far as is the information true? odds would have to be at 50/50 to take that risk.
 
Ok I'm glad to see some of you are logical. I have a lot of idiots for friends.

For everyone else, does the circumstance change if there is a 10% chance neither boat will blow up? 20%? 30%?
 
Grind said:
*spoilers for anyone that is that much out of the loop. This contains a scenario that has happened in the dark knight*















I'm pretty sure this has something to do with game theory. Don't quote me on that but I think I'm right. This scenario was recently featured in the film the "Dark Knight," for those that are unaware. I'm changing a few things around slightly.

Lately, I have discussed this issue with many of my friends, and pretty much everyone around me gives me this look as if I am the most cruel, heartless person on the planet. I give the look that they are seriously mentally retarded for not making a snap judgment on what to do.

The scenario is as follows: There are two boats, each with 300 people. You are on one of these boats. It is brought to your attention that each boat has a bomb on it. Additionally, each boat has a button, that when pushed, will blow up the opposing boat.

Both boats have 15 minutes to make a decision. If neither boat chooses to blow up the opposing boat, they both will blow up when the 15 minutes is up. You CANNOT communicate with the other boat so you don't know what they will do. NOR can you escape from the boat that you are on, NOR can you diffuse the bomb.

Essentially, if you do nothing, the other boat will either blow you up, or you all will get blown up after the 15 minutes are up. What do you do??

Additional variables:

-Does your decision change if the other boat is full of 300 prisoners convicted of varying crimes?

- Does your decision change based on the possibility that both boats may end up not blown up after all? What percentage change would you need for you not to push the button? 10%? 20%? 30%?


For me, I've told everyone this is an INSTA-PUSH of the button. I'd hit the button without a second thought, no remorse, and I would sleep soundly the very same night. But that's me.

Discuss.
Click to expand...

I'd hit the button. It's illogical to let you both die, and they'd kill me anyway.
 
It's a game, it has a reset button. I'd try every scenario and see which one nets me the best response.
 
Damocles said:
It's a game, it has a reset button. I'd try every scenario and see which one nets me the best response.
Click to expand...

If your only object is survival, then there would be no better option than to rush to the button as soon as possible.

If you are an extremely charitable/suicidal person, it would be best to wait until 14:99, and then push the button as soon as its clear the other guys won't so that you both don't go down.
 
Watermark said:
Logic is sick Asshat.
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This is not logic. This is cynicism. We see examples everyday of people foregoing mindless aggression and murder (when everything's a nail...) and experiencing levels of cooperation which increase their survival as well. There is a pro-social and also an anti-social route to the same endpoint.

Did i miss the part where it said someone HAD To press the button?
 
AssHatZombie said:
This is not logic. This is cynicism. We see examples everyday of people foregoing mindless aggression and murder (when everything's a nail...) and experiencing levels of cooperation which increase their survival as well. There is a pro-social and also an anti-social route to the same endpoint.

Did i miss the part where it said someone HAD To press the button?
Click to expand...

There's no way to cooperate on this AssHat. If you are very charitable you would wait and let them press the button. Most people aren't the charitable. It's a very cynical situation.
 
As long as there are people like me in the world, the safest and most rational decision is to push the button as quickly as you possibly can.
 
Epicurus said:
As long as there are people like me in the world, the safest and most rational decision is to push the button as quickly as you possibly can.
Click to expand...
The fact that I know there are people like you is why I'd sprain my thumb pushing the button as fast and hard as possible.
 
Watermark said:
There's no way to cooperate on this AssHat. If you are very charitable you would wait and let them press the button. Most people aren't the charitable. It's a very cynical situation.
Click to expand...
So did I miss the part where it said someone HAD to push the button? Both people could just not press it. It's the same kind of rational prosocial decision rational people make everyday.

I understand this is some idiot exercise designed by the military industrial complex to confuse people into accepting paranoid atrocity as "the only rational way", but think for your g-damn selves.

Say no to the programming.
 
AssHatZombie said:
So did I miss the part where it said someone HAD to push the button? ..... Both people could just not press it.
Click to expand...

WRONG. Hi. Welcome to hooked on phonics.


Grind said:
Essentially, if you do nothing, the other boat will either blow you up, or you all will get blown up after the 15 minutes are up. What do you do??
Click to expand...

Watermark said:
It's illogical to let you both die, and they'd kill me anyway.
Click to expand...

Grind said:
if neither boat presses the button, everyone blows up.
Click to expand...
 
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