Zeir Anpin 729
Member
- Aug 11, 2025
- 43
Benatar's asymmetry doesn't apply to Newcomb's paradox
Okay this was originally going to go in the forum games section but I think the rules are extremely convoluted so I made it a philosophy thing instead.
Newcomb's paradox is the gameshow question where the host gives you either $1,000 or a potential $1,000,000 mystery box. You could take both options and walk away with everything. But if the host or audience or whatever knew already that that was exactly what you where going to do, then they preemptively emptied the mystery box on that assumption. So what do you do?
I drew this to make it clearer. The problem is that you've got people assuming things about you, and you need to know exactly what they assumed, or else, you lose.
The goal should be to get the $1,000,000 or perhaps the $1,001,000... As seen on this chart:
Now I think that many people here are already aware of Benatar's asymmetry argument, which is central to the idea that suicide should be legal and de-stigmatized.
Basically, it says that the pain of existence outweighs the peace of no existence at all. Because the latter is always peaceful and the former fluctuates back and forth and never lets go.
I drew some pictures of this as well.
This is the way I framed it up in my own words, to highlight the logical negations more:
As you can see, just like in Newcomb's paradox, there is another 50/50 split in the mystery gamble (existence and choosing to live life and see what you get). Meanwhile, the "lamer" option is always guaranteed, just like the $1,000.
But the key difference lies in the power (number) of the observer(s) in relation to the entire universe.
In conclusion, consciousness is probably a curse and God does not exist. The end and I hope at least some of my drawings made sense.
Okay this was originally going to go in the forum games section but I think the rules are extremely convoluted so I made it a philosophy thing instead.
Newcomb's paradox is the gameshow question where the host gives you either $1,000 or a potential $1,000,000 mystery box. You could take both options and walk away with everything. But if the host or audience or whatever knew already that that was exactly what you where going to do, then they preemptively emptied the mystery box on that assumption. So what do you do?
I drew this to make it clearer. The problem is that you've got people assuming things about you, and you need to know exactly what they assumed, or else, you lose.
The goal should be to get the $1,000,000 or perhaps the $1,001,000... As seen on this chart:
Now I think that many people here are already aware of Benatar's asymmetry argument, which is central to the idea that suicide should be legal and de-stigmatized.
Basically, it says that the pain of existence outweighs the peace of no existence at all. Because the latter is always peaceful and the former fluctuates back and forth and never lets go.
I drew some pictures of this as well.
This is the way I framed it up in my own words, to highlight the logical negations more:
As you can see, just like in Newcomb's paradox, there is another 50/50 split in the mystery gamble (existence and choosing to live life and see what you get). Meanwhile, the "lamer" option is always guaranteed, just like the $1,000.
But the key difference lies in the power (number) of the observer(s) in relation to the entire universe.
In conclusion, consciousness is probably a curse and God does not exist. The end and I hope at least some of my drawings made sense.
