Topics Rationality

Question Are there any logically possible situations in which acting in accord with probability would not be logical? Is probability the ultimate logical guideline?

Accepted:
August 31, 2010

Comments

You might want to google 'newcomb's problem' or 'newcomb's paradox' -- one way of analyzing such cases is to conclude that the rational thing to do (in those circumscribed cases) is to act irrationally ... That sounds sort of close to a kind of case, which I gather you have in mind, where it is rational to pursue the less probable outcome .... (re the latter, I gather you have in mind something like this: you desire outcome x, and path A is more likely to obtain x than path B, all else being equal, and yet it is more 'logical' or rational to pursue path B .....)

Question Are there any logically possible situations in which acting in accord with probability would not be logical? Is probability the ultimate logical guideline? Accepted:August 31, 2010

Question Are there any logically possible situations in which acting in accord with probability would not be logical? Is probability the ultimate logical guideline?

Accepted:
August 31, 2010