A Paradoxical Puzzle For Ethical Utilitarians

A utilitarian blinks. When his eyes open a split second later, he’s astounded to discover that he’s in an entirely different place. Omega stands in front of him. “I’ve brought you here to play a game,” Omega says. “The well-being of humanity depends on your choices, so pay very close attention. You start with 100 credits.” A screen suddenly appears with the number 100 on it. “To play the game,” Omega continues, “just think of some number of credits that you’d like to bet during the next r...
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Correlation Coefficient as a Gateway to Skepticism

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The correlation coefficient as a gateway to radical skepticism:Suppose you calculate that two variables are moderately correlated. For instance, you find that self-reported happiness has a correlation r=0.32 with self-reported willpower, as I found in one of my studies. What are the possible explanations for (or causes of) this? A Causes B - Increasing A is a cause of increasing B but not the reverse. [e.g., more happiness causes more willpower] (2) B Causes A - Increasing B is a cause ...
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