brianm comments on Counterfactual Mugging - Less Wrong

52 Post author: Vladimir_Nesov 19 March 2009 06:08AM

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Comment author: Vladimir_Nesov 19 March 2009 04:16:28PM 6 points [-]

The point is that the distinction between $0.02 and a trillion lives is irrelevant to the discussion, which is about the structure of preference order assigned to actions, whatever your values are. If you are determined to pay off Omega, the reason for that must be in your decision algorithm, not in an exquisite balance between $100, personal integrity, and murder. If you are willing to carry the deal through (note that there isn't even any deal, only your premeditated decision), the reason for that must lie elsewhere, not in the value of personal integrity.

Comment author: brianm 20 March 2009 12:25:56PM *  3 points [-]

To make that claim, you do need to first establish that he would accept a bet of 15 lives vs some reward in the first place, which I think is what he is claiming he would not do. There's a difference between making a bet and reneging, and not accepting the bet. If you would not commit murder to save a million lives in the first place, then the refusal is for a different reason than just the fact that the stakes are raised.