20091212

哲學天份

最近發覺兒子可能有點哲學天份。我剛買了 Peter Cave 的兩本書: Can a Robot be Human?What’s Wrong with Eating People?, 考慮用來做哲學導論的教材。兒子見書名有趣,便拿去看了;他讀得津津有味,還興致勃勃走過來要跟我「分享」他的得著。 誰知他一開口竟是 Newcomb’s Paradox! 他將這個 paradox 解釋得相當清楚,而且指手劃腳頗有著迷之態。我雖知他聰明,但也沒想到他在十二歲便能輕易明白這樣抽象複雜的問題。我很少稱讚他,這次也忍不住說了句 “I’m impressed!” 。

妻子知道後說她有點擔心,因為家裏有一個哲學家已夠了(真正意思:已太多了),再來一個她可吃不消!

8 則留言:

  1. Newcomb’s Paradox.....我上wiki查過,已'明白'兩個見解,但不明白有什麼矛盾...可否解釋一下? thx~
    p.s. 因為我不同意take both boxes,這樣計算是忽略了predicter is certainly correct 這個 重要因素.

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  2. 中四學生,

    //但不明白有什麼矛盾//

    - 這裏沒有矛盾,問題只是兩個選擇都有相當強的理據。

    //因為我不同意take both boxes,這樣計算是忽略了predicter is certainly correct 這個 重要因素.//

    - take both boxes的理由是不透明箱子裏有沒有一百萬已是事實,如果裏面有一百萬元,那麼take both boxes比take one box多了一百萬元;如果裏面沒有一百萬元,那麼take both boxes比take one box多了一千元。所以,無論如何,take both boxes是上算。

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  3. because predictor is always correct.so his can predict what you choose. If you take both boxes, he can propably predict it and you can only get $1000. However,if you take one box only, you can have a great chance to get $1,000,000 因為predicter is certainly correct!!!你所選的和他想的應該一樣...predictor猜中take one,你會有$1,000,000 ,predictor猜中take both, 你只有$1000,不對嗎?

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  4. 中四學生,

    Yes, the reason why there is a problem here (which is not exactly a paradox) is precisely that both answers make perfect sense.

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  5. "我很少稱讚他,這次也忍不住說了句 “I’m impressed!” "
    一睇就知你好有錢啦(從生活習慣可見)...你個仔應該要更加珍惜,用功學習!

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  6. san francoz,

    如果我也算有錢,那麼有錢的人便多著了!美國生活方式不同,不需要很多錢也可以過我這樣的生活。

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  7. "solution" 1 (being politically incorrect):
    Since I learn some math, but I am still not good at it("predicted" by the predictor?), I will take both boxes. If I don't see a million US dollars in the opaque box and since I've learned how to punch ("predicted" by the predictor too?)I will beat the crap out of the predictor and ask, "have you predicted that I will beat you up if I don't get a million dollars?"

    "solution" 2 (being lazy):
    I will play the game 1000 times and I will get no less than a million dollars. Why do I have to think about this so-called paradox?

    "solution 3 (being lazy and political)"
    That's a hypothetical question, I'm not going to answer it.

    --zpdrmn

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  8. 1.先開密封的箱,看看有無一百萬^^~
    幻想:如果有一百萬....
    2.嘩@@~我有一百萬了~不如再拿那張一千塊吧~
    反正也沒人要~哈哈哈~~~~~
    事實:開箱後,空空如也.....
    3.氣死我了\口/!!!!!!!!我不拿了!!!!
    那一千塊可能也是空歡喜!只是偽鈔!
    那是陷阱!想我再做白痴,上他的當!很難>廿<!
    結果:揮一揮衣袖,不帶走一點鈔票......orz

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