Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

You guys are saying if your sister needed a heart transplant to live and the odds of it being a success were 50%. You would just off yourself so she could have your heart? This seems totally irrational to me.

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

People saying 15% for parents or less than 100% for wife/girlfriend, etc. are either not thinking about this or are strange in my book.


You are walking across the street, a few feet behind your wife/mother/sister. All of a sudden a car comes barreling towards them and time freezes. Somehow you become aware that you can push them to safety but you will have X% of dying. Are you people seriously saying ehhhhh, I'll take a pass.

I revise my answer to 100% for all friends and family and strangers under the age of like 60. Only those I don't like or the terminally ill are getting hit by that bus.

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

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You guys are saying if your sister needed a heart transplant to live and the odds of it being a success were 50%. You would just off yourself so she could have your heart? This seems totally irrational to me.

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Yes.

But I think that it is rational because her happiness is more important to me than my own.

Edit: And noah is right. All of my estimates were really low. Rational or not I would definitely risk my life to save a random person in danger and would take a pretty substantial risk for someone who I am acquainted with.

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

honestly mine is pretty high for a stranger if i though I could really help.

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

I have absolutely no idea how to answer this without being in the situation. Srsly how could you?

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

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I have absolutely no idea how to answer this without being in the situation. Srsly how could you?

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Agreed.

Stranger comes to you and says, "hey I need a transplant, can you help me out? Theres a 50% chance you die."

I say "sorry bro. that sucks, but i can't help you. good luck."

Stranger about to be hit by bus, I knock him out of the way.

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

I'd die for anydamnbody. Unless I knew for a fact that you were a scumbag, or, now that VR has made me think about it, they would really, REALLY rather that they died and I lived, my X for any given person approaches 100%. Really, what's better than going out in a blaze of glory? Would you rather die of cancer? Choke on a turkey sandwich?

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I have absolutely no idea how to answer this without being in the situation. Srsly how could you?

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Agreed.

Stranger comes to you and says, "hey I need a transplant, can you help me out? Theres a 50% chance you die."

I say "sorry bro. that sucks, but i can't help you. good luck."

Stranger about to be hit by bus, I knock him out of the way.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think the transplant situation works better for this hypothetical because in that situation you have time to calculate the risk involved. Also we should make the assumption we are the only person who is a match for the transplant.

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

without reading anything, unless X > 30% yeah lets GAMBOLLLLLL!!!!!!!!1

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

i agree that that all the percentages are different in different life-threatening situations. for instance, in the heart transplant scenario, you would have to take into account all your friends and family would be urging you not to do it. especially your parents-- they would have 50% chance of losing two children and 100% of losing one. who are you to selfishly make that decision?