Would you press the button?

Simon Zeno · **Posted:** Sun Apr 24, 2005 3:41 pm

This is similar to furrykef's million dollar situation. But here, the stakes are higher. It's appeared in a couple of video games...

Let's say that you and a very close loved one are trapped by an evil madman. He puts you in separate cells, with no way of communicating. There is a button in each of your cells.

If you press it but they don't, you will die but the other person will go free.
If you don't press it but they do, they will die and you will go free.
If neither of you press the button, then you both die.
And if you both press the button, you both go free.

Would you press the button?

ed 'lim' smilde · **Posted:** Sun Apr 24, 2005 3:43 pm

of course because I'm sure the other person will press it too esp if he/she was a loved one
then we'd both get free

ramrod · **Posted:** Sun Apr 24, 2005 4:14 pm

Well, you have to pretty much. If you don't, you will die, you just have to hope that your loved one will push it.

extremejon09 · **Joined:** Mon May 10, 2004 10:28 pm **Posts:** 4675

Ok: the stakes here are actully pretty low: duh you both would hit the button. Why dont you rasise the stakes and make it so you both have to hit it at the same time?

Choc-o-Lardiac Arrest · **Posted:** Mon Apr 25, 2005 3:36 am

im gonna hafta roll a D20, 1-10= yes, 11-20= no..... hrmm......
9, yes, i push it, i have faith in my girl and that she'd do the same, cause we both cant stop pushing buttons

Smorky · **Joined:** Sun Dec 12, 2004 2:26 am **Posts:** 775

I have a better one. If neither one pushes the button, you both die. Only one person can push the button. Whoever pushes it first is free and the other dies.

Funkmaster Hoff · **Posted:** Mon Apr 25, 2005 9:58 am

I'd press it.

DanBo · **Posted:** Mon Apr 25, 2005 2:16 pm

I'm going into the Navy, so I like pressing buttons.

Ricksea · **Posted:** Mon Apr 25, 2005 4:14 pm

For Simon Zino's: Yes for teh same reason as everone else.

For No Smorking's: I'd push it immediately. I hate death.

TheTinyGiant · **Joined:** Sat Nov 27, 2004 7:48 pm **Posts:** 459

Depends partly on the time span of the button pressing.

I'd press the button. I won't deny not really liking my life, that's the truth, gotta grit my teeth and hold with it. But in this case I'd dare to take a risk and either live a halfway decent life like now or die, rather than live a messed life stuck in a jail cell. If the other person presses the button (nobody comes to mind really) well I"m gonna press it anyway and we're both saved. Really it's a win-win situation since I don't really mind the death.

Ricksea · **Posted:** Tue Apr 26, 2005 12:55 am

This is sort of like a game show on GSN in the afternoon (which I haven't watched recently). It's called "Friend or Foe" and involves two players deciding whether or not to press a button and split money. If they both press the button, they lose all the money. If neither presses the button they split the money. If one presses the button, he/ she walks away with everything.

Lunar Jesty · **Posted:** Tue Apr 26, 2005 1:29 am

Ricksea wrote:

This is sort of like a game show on GSN in the afternoon (which I haven't watched recently). It's called "Friend or Foe" and involves two players deciding whether or not to press a button and split money. If they both press the button, they lose all the money. If neither presses the button they split the money. If one presses the button, he/ she walks away with everything.

Wait, how long is this show?

I'd press the button to Simon Zeno's. But to No Smorking's... we'd both die if no one pressed the button. I'd have to press it.

DanBo · **Posted:** Wed Apr 27, 2005 2:48 am

Ever see that kid in a store who presses the buttons on all the 'dancing animals' to get them to all sing a song at the same time? Wasn't that annoying? Yeah that kid was me at some point. I really don't care about the consequences of button pushing. All I do is make the button go "bleep" and be on my way. Unless I die.

The Human Wedgie · **Posted:** Wed Apr 27, 2005 4:50 am

My girlfriend and I love each other passionately enough that we would both press the button, no doubts about it.

Smorky · **Joined:** Sun Dec 12, 2004 2:26 am **Posts:** 775

DanBo wrote:

Ever see that kid in a store who presses the buttons on all the 'dancing animals' to get them to all sing a song at the same time?

That was me.

Shopiom · **Posted:** Sun May 01, 2005 10:25 pm

I'd just press the button and hope that the other person presses the button, too.

Alehandro · **Posted:** Sun May 01, 2005 11:11 pm

hmmmm........ If I dont push it then i'll die..... but if I do I might live...... and the other person will probably push it too so.... DUH! 'course PUSH THE THING! :ehsteve:

CloudedSun · **Posted:** Wed May 04, 2005 8:21 am

A variant on the old prisoner's dilemma methinks. It seems each person's button only afects the other person. Push it and they live, leave it and they die. So each person would have to push their button to save the other, right?

Ungurait#7 · **Posted:** Sat May 14, 2005 2:26 am

I would press the button.

If I press it, I either die but let the other person go free, or we both live.

If I don't press it, I will either kill the other guy, or I'll kill us both.

Plus, if I was in a cell and the only thing to do was press a button, I'd do it just for fun...

The Experimental Film · **Posted:** Sat May 14, 2005 4:29 am

I agree completely with Ungurait#7. Although it's not like anyone said they WOULDN'T press the button.

Buttons are fun.

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