A: Live 500 years and then die, with certainty.
B: Live forever, with probability 0.000000001%; die within the next ten seconds, with probability 99.999999999%
If this was the only chance you ever get to determine your lifespan—then choose B.
In the real world, it would probably be a better idea to discard both options and use your natural lifespan to search for alternative paths to immortality.
I disagree, not surprisingly, since I was the author of the comment to which you are responding. I would choose A, and I think anyone sensible would choose A. There’s not much one can say here in the way of argument, but it is obvious to me that choosing B here is following your ideals off a cliff. Especially since I can add a few hundred 9s there, and by your argument you should still choose B.
If this was the only chance you ever get to determine your lifespan—then choose B.
In the real world, it would probably be a better idea to discard both options and use your natural lifespan to search for alternative paths to immortality.
I disagree, not surprisingly, since I was the author of the comment to which you are responding. I would choose A, and I think anyone sensible would choose A. There’s not much one can say here in the way of argument, but it is obvious to me that choosing B here is following your ideals off a cliff. Especially since I can add a few hundred 9s there, and by your argument you should still choose B.