How many times would you push the button?

[Hadley4000]

Well, it looks like if there IS a button there will be less competition at tournaments.

 

[Edmund]

I don't think I'd press it at all.

 

[Waynilein]

I would look at the expected value. I rate winning $20,000 dollars as (+20000). I rate dying as (-infinity) or negative infinity.

So, using my utility function or my ratings of the outcomes, there is an expected value of pushing the button at:

[limit a->negative infintiy] 0.99*(20000) + 0.01(a) which approaches negative infinity.

I would not push the button even once.

Chris

risk = chance x effect
= 0.1 x infinite
= infinite

sadly no pushes for the button. I'll stroke it maybe

How can you possibly value life "infinitely"?

Imagine if the button shortened your life by a second. You simply die a second before you normally would (still at a 1% chance). Would that second also be worth infinitely much? Now if that time was increased from a second to a day, a year, or the exact amount of time you would normally live... Where do you draw the line between a finite number and infinity?

This is assuming you don't value a second of your life infinitely, since there is very little you could possibly do in a second...

 

[Lucas Garron]

This is assuming you don't value a second of your life infinitely, since there is very little you could possibly do in a second...

You could press a button in a second.

 

[StachuK1992]

How can you possibly value life "infinitely"?

Imagine if the button shortened your life by a second. You simply die a second before you normally would (still at a 1% chance). Would that second also be worth infinitely much? Now if that time was increased from a second to a day, a year, or the exact amount of time you would normally live... Where do you draw the line between a finite number and infinity?

This is assuming you don't value a second of your life infinitely, since there is very little you could possibly do in a second...[/quote]
I actually really like this idea.
I'm thinking that 1 day would 'cost' about...well...it really depends...

Does this 1 day come soon, like, would I miss tomorrow, or is this one day taken from when I'm old?
Can I choose which days I want to take off?

 

[elcarc]

uggh, just push it once, if you live, walk away 20000 dollars richer, and alive

 

[Waffle's Minion]

Ten times, chances are that you would be okay. For each time you press the button, you lose one second of your live, keep on pressing it when everyou want, because that second being taken away is probably useless on it's own.

 

[ChrisBird]

Well, it looks like if there IS a button there will be less competition at tournaments.

May I politely ask why this would be the case?

 

[Edmund]

Well, it looks like if there IS a button there will be less competition at tournaments.

May I politely ask why this would be the case?

Hadley said it because it seems like a lot of people are doing it and might die.

 

[PCwizCube]

Simple solution:

Program a robot that will push the button as many times as it can. If the robot "dies" then who cares? Use the money from the button pushing to get a new robot and keep on doing that and you'll be rich

 

[cmhardw]

How can you possibly value life "infinitely"

The more I think about this, the more I realize that I don't value life infinitely. If I did, I would never drive a car, drink a liquid, or even eat food, as each of those has an associated (although miniscule) risk of dying involved.

The problem I run into is in finding my utility function for this button. I need to find the monetary value that I consider equivalent to my life, which is quite difficult to do. Clearly $20,000 isn't even remotely close as I would not consider pushing the button for a measly $20,000 dollars. However, a lifetime of not ever having to work and having every expense I incur for the rest of my life paid for would be a worthwhile payout for the risk of pushing the button (assuming a 99% chance of the outcome I just described, and a 1% chance of an instant, painless death). I can't find the middle ground, or the break even point, where I am absolutely indifferent to the two outcomes of winning the money, or dying instantly.

Can you find this middle ground for you? If you would certainly push the button for $20,000 dollars would you push it for $10,000 dollars? For $10? For $1?

Chris

 

[Kuraudo39]

I would push the button for 50k+. Me = Financial difficulties