Re: quantum suicide = deadly dumb

From: Wei Dai <weidai.domain.name.hidden>
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 00:31:11 -0800

On Wed, Dec 09, 1998 at 08:12:38PM -0500, Jacques M. Mallah wrote:
> On the contrary, it's the same. That is easy to prove: suppose
> the MWI was false but assume the universe is spacially infinite, so there
> are other people like you in distant galaxies. Clearly they have no
> bearing on what you do, so you should make the usual decisions, including
> of course any suicide decisions. It is no different in the MWI; the only
> difference is that the others are in different parts of wavefunction
> configuration space, rather than regular space.

Unfortunately because currently accepted decision theory makes some
metaphysical assumptions, it can be compatible with a spacially infinite
universe but not with MWI. Basicly decision theory depends on the idea of
alternate realities and the notion that an individual chooses the actual
reality among the alternatives as he makes decisions and acts upon them.
But according to MWI, all alternatives are real and have predetermined
measures.

I can't figure out how to apply decision theory with the MWI. If you can,
show us how, and please include an example.
Received on Thu Dec 10 1998 - 00:32:25 PST