Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Two boxes, one choice, and $1,000,000. Sponsored by Brilliant - To learn for free on Brilliant for a full 30 days, go to brilliant.org/veritasium. Our viewers also get 20% off an annual Premium subscription, which gives you unlimited daily access to everything on Brilliant.
In 2025, we launched the Elements of Truth game on Kickstarter and were thrilled by the response. We’re now in the final stages of production, with Kickstarter rewards shipping soon. If you missed the campaign, you can now pre-order the retail edition through our new website here -ve42.co/NewcombDesc
If you’re looking for a molecular modelling kit, try Snatoms, a kit I invented where the atoms snap together magnetically - ve42.co/SnatomsV
Sign up for the Veritasium newsletter for weekly science updates - ve42.co/Newsletter
▀▀▀
A huge thank you to Dr. Arif Ahmed, Dr. Adam Elga, Dr. Kenny Easwaran, Dr. Peter Slezak, Dr. David Wolpert, Dr. Scott Aaronson & Dr. Michael Huemer for their invaluable expertise and contributions to this video on Newcomb’s Paradox.
The causal expected utility calculation was based on a post by Professor Huemer here - ve42.co/Huemer
▀▀▀
0:00 What is Newcomb’s Paradox?
3:24 Pick 1 Box!
5:24 Pick Both!
6:38 What is decision theory?
11:27 What does Newcomb’s Paradox say about free will?
13:25 What does it mean to be rational?
16:49 Mutually Assured Destruction
20:02 Precommitment Is The Ultimate Strategy
▀▀▀
References can be found here - ve42.co/NewcombRefs
▀▀▀
Special thanks to our Patreon supporters:
Albert Wenger, Sam Lutfi, Michael Krugman, Sinan Taifour, Marinus Kuivenhoven, Lee Redden, Richard Sundvall, Ubiquity Ventures, David Johnston, Juan Benet, Paul Peijzel, Meekay, Evgeny Skvortsov, Blake Byers, Dave Kircher, Gnare, Anton Ragin, KeyWestr, meg noah, Tj Steyn, Orlando Bassotto, Adam Foreman, Balkrishna Heroor, Jesse Brandsoy, Garrett Mueller, Kyi, Ibby Hadeed, Bertrand Serlet, wolfee, David Tseng, Bruce, Alexander Tamas, Alex Porter, Jon Jamison, Charles Ian Norman Venn, armedtoe, Jeromy Johnson, Hayden Christensen, Robson, EJ Alexandra, Daniel Martins, Shalva Bukia, Moebiusol - Cristian, Martin Paull, Data Don, Vahe Andonians, Mark Heising, Hong Thai Le, Parsee Health, Kelcey Steele
▀▀▀
Writers: Sulli Yost & Casper Mebius
Producer & Director: Sulli Yost
Editor: Jack Saxon
Additional Editing: Peter Nelson
Camera Operators: Lukas Guderjahn, Danijela Čavlović, Casper Mebius, Gregor Čavlović & Derek Muller
Presenters: Casper Mebius, Gregor Čavlović, Henry van Dyck & Derek Muller
Animators: Emma Wright, Andrew Neet, Alex Drakoulis, Domonkos Józsa & Fabio Albertelli
Assistant Editor: James Stuart
Researcher: Darius Garewal & Gabe Strong
Thumbnail Designers: Abdallah Rabah, Ren Hurley & Ben Powell
Production Team: Jess Bishop-Laggett, Matthew Cavanagh, Anna Milkovich & Josh Pitt
Executive Producers: Casper Mebius & Derek Muller
Additional video/photos supplied by Getty Images & Storyblocks
Music from Epidemic Sound
Two boxes, one choice, and $1,000,000. Sponsored by Brilliant - To learn for free on Brilliant for a full 30 days, go to brilliant.org/veritasium. Our viewers also get 20% off an annual Premium subscription, which gives you unlimited daily access to everything on Brilliant.
In 2025, we launched the Elements of Truth game on Kickstarter and were thrilled by the response. We’re now in the final stages of production, with Kickstarter rewards shipping soon. If you missed the campaign, you can now pre-order the retail edition through our new website here -ve42.co/NewcombDesc
If you’re looking for a molecular modelling kit, try Snatoms, a kit I invented where the atoms snap together magnetically - ve42.co/SnatomsV
Sign up for the Veritasium newsletter for weekly science updates - ve42.co/Newsletter
▀▀▀
A huge thank you to Dr. Arif Ahmed, Dr. Adam Elga, Dr. Kenny Easwaran, Dr. Peter Slezak, Dr. David Wolpert, Dr. Scott Aaronson & Dr. Michael Huemer for their invaluable expertise and contributions to this video on Newcomb’s Paradox.
The causal expected utility calculation was based on a post by Professor Huemer here - ve42.co/Huemer
▀▀▀
0:00 What is Newcomb’s Paradox?
3:24 Pick 1 Box!
5:24 Pick Both!
6:38 What is decision theory?
11:27 What does Newcomb’s Paradox say about free will?
13:25 What does it mean to be rational?
16:49 Mutually Assured Destruction
20:02 Precommitment Is The Ultimate Strategy
▀▀▀
References can be found here - ve42.co/NewcombRefs
▀▀▀
Special thanks to our Patreon supporters:
Albert Wenger, Sam Lutfi, Michael Krugman, Sinan Taifour, Marinus Kuivenhoven, Lee Redden, Richard Sundvall, Ubiquity Ventures, David Johnston, Juan Benet, Paul Peijzel, Meekay, Evgeny Skvortsov, Blake Byers, Dave Kircher, Gnare, Anton Ragin, KeyWestr, meg noah, Tj Steyn, Orlando Bassotto, Adam Foreman, Balkrishna Heroor, Jesse Brandsoy, Garrett Mueller, Kyi, Ibby Hadeed, Bertrand Serlet, wolfee, David Tseng, Bruce, Alexander Tamas, Alex Porter, Jon Jamison, Charles Ian Norman Venn, armedtoe, Jeromy Johnson, Hayden Christensen, Robson, EJ Alexandra, Daniel Martins, Shalva Bukia, Moebiusol - Cristian, Martin Paull, Data Don, Vahe Andonians, Mark Heising, Hong Thai Le, Parsee Health, Kelcey Steele
▀▀▀
Writers: Sulli Yost & Casper Mebius
Producer & Director: Sulli Yost
Editor: Jack Saxon
Additional Editing: Peter Nelson
Camera Operators: Lukas Guderjahn, Danijela Čavlović, Casper Mebius, Gregor Čavlović & Derek Muller
Presenters: Casper Mebius, Gregor Čavlović, Henry van Dyck & Derek Muller
Animators: Emma Wright, Andrew Neet, Alex Drakoulis, Domonkos Józsa & Fabio Albertelli
Assistant Editor: James Stuart
Researcher: Darius Garewal & Gabe Strong
Thumbnail Designers: Abdallah Rabah, Ren Hurley & Ben Powell
Production Team: Jess Bishop-Laggett, Matthew Cavanagh, Anna Milkovich & Josh Pitt
Executive Producers: Casper Mebius & Derek Muller
Additional video/photos supplied by Getty Images & Storyblocks
Music from Epidemic Sound
