Post by: UncleBob on January 26, 2006, 04:28:22 AM
You just died.
You're standing in front of the Almighty God himself (or whatever is beyond here..)
(S)He's decided (for s/he works in mysterious ways) that s/he's going to reincarnate you.
Now, you've got to choose between to lives.
Both lives take place in the year 2099, in a post-apocalyptic world where there survives two cities in domes.
Each city is very similar in tech, values, knowledge, etc. Outside the domes are instant death from the radiation created by the sun that is no longer filtered out by our atmosphere - which was desolated in the wars.
Inside each of the domes, there is no disease, no crime or violence - Plenty of things to do though. Everyone is happy.
Now, the major difference between the two domes is this:
In the first dome, in order to keep the population under control, each year on January 1st, 100 people are put to death, During the year, 100 babies are allowed to be born (if, perchance, someone died during the last year by other means aside from the yearly executions, one less person is executed at the beginning of the year - however, with the level of medical technology, this is very rare). The 100 people who are put to death are anyone who's over 30 years old. This way, you know exactly when you are going to die.
In the second dome, much like the first, the population is kept under control with 100 deaths each year on January 1st and 100 babies being born each year. However, the big difference is that everyone's name is put into a computer that randomly (and without anyone being able to tamper with the results in any way, shape or form) picks 100 people from *any* age group - anyone from Little Timmy-12 who was just born yesterday on up to Old Man Wilson who's been lucky enough to avoid being drawn for 112 years! This way, you haven't a clue when you're going to die - but you could possibly only live to be five or fifty...
Which do you pick?
Post by: Bill Aurion on January 26, 2006, 04:39:32 AM
Post by: nitsu niflheim on January 26, 2006, 04:54:14 AM
Post by: couchmonkey on January 26, 2006, 05:14:04 AM
Wait, no, I pick the dome behind door number 3...oh it turns out to be the Mad Max Dome where chaos rules and only the fittest survive! I'm unceremoniously run down by a Hummer with giant spikes poking out and "Have a nice day" written on the sides.
Post by: Pale on January 26, 2006, 05:41:14 AM
Who would want to have a kid if at their 1 year birthday they could be executed? That tugs at too many strings and creates too much stress. Someone would be stupid to choose that.
Post by: UncleBob on January 26, 2006, 06:00:40 AM
Do you *really* want to know exactly when you are going to die?
Post by: Toruresu on January 26, 2006, 06:44:31 AM
Post by: Pale on January 26, 2006, 06:53:05 AM
One thing you failed to say in your op is how many people live in the town...
100 people die per year, is that 100 out of 1000? 100 out of 10,000? 100 out of 10,000,000? That could matter in the decision. There is a certain level that the chance of dying would become statistically irrelevant.
These same statistics also come into play in the non random choice.
Man, now I'm confusing myself...
Post by: JonLeung on January 26, 2006, 07:06:32 AM
Need more details, otherwise this is a no-brainer.
Post by: ShyGuy on January 26, 2006, 07:11:41 AM
Post by: Plugabugz on January 26, 2006, 07:36:22 AM
FORGET THE LOST NUMBERS. Look closely in Alias, Voyager, The Next Generation, Alias and (probably, but i'm stretching it) Andromeda and that number comes up in a manner of forms everywhere.
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on January 26, 2006, 07:41:53 AM
Post by: UncleBob on January 26, 2006, 07:45:02 AM
Post by: Pale on January 26, 2006, 09:30:19 AM
Now in the other town, assuming an equal distribution of ages and otherwise eternal life every single person would die at the age of 30.
Now, in the random town, after some math...
After 10 years, there is about a 29% chance you would have died.
After 20 years, there is about a 50% chance you would have died.
After 30 years, there is about a 64% chance you would have died.
After 40 years, there is about a 75% chance you would have died.
After 50 years, there is about a 82% chance you would have died.
and so on and so on...
Given this information, at 30, more often than not you would have already been dead. It would follow that because at 20, the % is so close to 50, that the average life expectancy is close to 20.
Therefore, on average, you would live longer in the non random town so that is the better choice.
Feel free to prove my math wrong.
Post by: Plugabugz on January 26, 2006, 10:14:38 AM
Post by: Pryopizm on January 26, 2006, 03:50:25 PM
Post by: UncleBob on January 26, 2006, 03:53:32 PM
Sorry, you fail.
Post by: KnowsNothing on January 26, 2006, 03:54:19 PM
Post by: IceCold on January 26, 2006, 04:12:38 PM
Quote
Probably the most deep thread ever posted here..
Oh the irony..
Post by: Hostile Creation on January 26, 2006, 07:18:01 PM
That gives me plenty of time to corrupt and overthrow the utopian society.
Post by: Infernal Monkey on January 26, 2006, 11:56:38 PM
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on January 27, 2006, 12:23:42 AM
Its a population control thing, nothing personal
