The notes

What each one is actually asking, with examples close enough to argue about. We do not decide the answer for you.

• The Ship of Theseus

  Ancient Greece, via Plutarch

  Replace the planks one at a time. When none of the original is left, is it the same ship? This is the sauce-pot problem.

• The Experience Machine

  Robert Nozick, 1974

  A machine that gives you any experience you want, for as long as you want. None of it real. Do you plug in?

• The Marshmallow Test

  Walter Mischel, around 1970

  One now, or two in fifteen minutes. The famous follow-up shrank a lot when people checked.

• The Ultimatum Game

  Güth and colleagues, 1982

  They choose the split; you only accept or refuse. Refuse and you both get nothing. People refuse anyway.

• Buridan's Ass

  Fourteenth century

  Two identical bales, no reason to prefer either, and the donkey starves. The same shape as failing to pick a lunch place.

• The Sunk Cost Trap

  Arkes and Blumer, 1985

  Money and time you cannot get back bend the next decision. Yes, sitting through the bad film.

• The Jam Study

  Iyengar and Lepper, 2000

  The 24-flavour table drew the crowd; the 6-flavour table made the sales. Too much choice stops the choosing.

• The Prisoner's Dilemma

  Flood and Dresher, 1950

  Both stay quiet and both do well. Selling out pays better, so both sell and both lose.

• The Framing Effect

  Tversky and Kahneman, 1981

  "90% survive" and "10% die" are the same number. They do not get chosen the same way.

• The Teleporter Problem

  Derek Parfit, 1984

  It scans you here and builds you there. Is the one who steps out you?

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