FAWS comments on Omega's subcontracting to Alpha - Less Wrong

7 Post author: Stuart_Armstrong 16 March 2010 06:52PM

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Comment author: FAWS 17 March 2010 10:29:07AM *  0 points [-]

If I am a determined £10-taker, then the probability that the envelope contains the £1000000 is zero. If I am a determined £10-refuser, then the probability that the envelope contains the £1000000 is one.

But I am neither of those things. I am some more complicated decision-making system which is capable of either taking or refusing the £10, depending on which act is to my advantage. And I can see that if I refuse the £10, then there must be £1000000 in the envelope, which I get to keep. So, I refuse the £10.

No. If you knowably refuse the £10 in this situation that makes you a determined £10-refuser. The fact that you personally did not know that you are a determined £10-refuser even though Omega did does not have any magical consequences.

Basically you can't simultaneously take the fact that you have a choice and the fact that Omega is actually standing before you as given.

Comment author: FAWS 17 March 2010 01:45:04PM 1 point [-]

Apparently someone thinks there is something wrong with this. Could they please explain?