Vsauce2 | A Problem You'll Never Solve @Vsauce2 | Uploaded 5 years ago | Updated 8 hours ago
Newcomb’s Paradox has confounded philosophers, mathematicians, and game players for over 50 years. The problem is simple: You can take Box A, which contains $1,000, *and* Box B, which contains either $0 or $1,000,000, or you can just take Box B. The right choice seems obvious -- but there’s a catch.
Before you play, an omniscient being has predicted whether you’d take both Box A and Box B or *only* Box B. If he’s predicted that you’ll take both, he’s put $0 in Box B. If he predicts that you’ll only take Box B, he’s put $1,000,000 inside. So… what do you do?
I explore the two approaches to this problem, one based on the math of expected utility and the other based on a logical dominance principle. Newcomb’s Paradox raises questions about free will and determinism as it explores whether a problem with no solution might be easier than a problem with two perfectly valid contradictory solutions.
*** SOURCES ***
“Newcomb's Problem And Two Principles Of Choice,” by Robert Nozick
http://faculty.arts.ubc.ca/rjohns/nozick_newcomb.pdf
Newcomb’s Paradox poll results from The Guardian:
theguardian.com/science/alexs-adventures-in-numberland/2016/nov/30/newcombs-problem-which-side-won-the-guardians-philosophy-poll
*** LINKS ***
Grandayy Links
YouTube: youtube.com/c/grandayy
Twitter: twitter.com/grandayy
Vsauce2 Links
Twitter: twitter.com/VsauceTwo
Facebook: facebook.com/VsauceTwo
Hosted, Produced, And Edited by Kevin Lieber
Instagram: http://instagram.com/kevlieber
Twitter: twitter.com/kevinlieber
Research And Writing by Matthew Tabor
twitter.com/matthewktabor
Huge Thanks To Paula Lieber
etsy.com/shop/Craftality
Get Vsauce's favorite science and math toys delivered to your door!
curiositybox.com
Select Music By Jake Chudnow: http://www.youtube.com/user/JakeChudnow
MY PODCAST -- THE CREATE UNKNOWN
youtube.com/thecreateunknown
Newcomb’s Paradox has confounded philosophers, mathematicians, and game players for over 50 years. The problem is simple: You can take Box A, which contains $1,000, *and* Box B, which contains either $0 or $1,000,000, or you can just take Box B. The right choice seems obvious -- but there’s a catch.
Before you play, an omniscient being has predicted whether you’d take both Box A and Box B or *only* Box B. If he’s predicted that you’ll take both, he’s put $0 in Box B. If he predicts that you’ll only take Box B, he’s put $1,000,000 inside. So… what do you do?
I explore the two approaches to this problem, one based on the math of expected utility and the other based on a logical dominance principle. Newcomb’s Paradox raises questions about free will and determinism as it explores whether a problem with no solution might be easier than a problem with two perfectly valid contradictory solutions.
*** SOURCES ***
“Newcomb's Problem And Two Principles Of Choice,” by Robert Nozick
http://faculty.arts.ubc.ca/rjohns/nozick_newcomb.pdf
Newcomb’s Paradox poll results from The Guardian:
theguardian.com/science/alexs-adventures-in-numberland/2016/nov/30/newcombs-problem-which-side-won-the-guardians-philosophy-poll
*** LINKS ***
Grandayy Links
YouTube: youtube.com/c/grandayy
Twitter: twitter.com/grandayy
Vsauce2 Links
Twitter: twitter.com/VsauceTwo
Facebook: facebook.com/VsauceTwo
Hosted, Produced, And Edited by Kevin Lieber
Instagram: http://instagram.com/kevlieber
Twitter: twitter.com/kevinlieber
Research And Writing by Matthew Tabor
twitter.com/matthewktabor
Huge Thanks To Paula Lieber
etsy.com/shop/Craftality
Get Vsauce's favorite science and math toys delivered to your door!
curiositybox.com
Select Music By Jake Chudnow: http://www.youtube.com/user/JakeChudnow
MY PODCAST -- THE CREATE UNKNOWN
youtube.com/thecreateunknown
