Jul 3, 2009

Kavka's toxin puzzle

An eccentric billionaire offers you a million dollars if at midnight tonight you intend to drink a vial of poison tomorrow afternoon. You are free to change your mind after midnight and not take the poison; you will receive the money whether you take the poison or not, so long as you at midnight sincerely intend to take it. Knowing all this, can you get the money, yet also avoid the poison?

This is one example of what happens when you start mixing logic, time, and human intentions/beliefs.

About
Daily Meh is written and edited by Simen (contact me). I live in Norway. This blog is about whatever interests me. Here are some of my favorite posts from the archives. You can subscribe via RSS.