A weak majority/strong plurality of relevant domain experts does not make the question decisively answered. I don’t have survey data on this, but I’m pretty sure none of the compatibilists (even those who ‘accept’ it), take the question to be obviously answered etc. etc.
But more importantly: these people also seem to prefer to two-box in Newcomb’s problem. So why should I put much weight in their opinion?
The majority of decision theory specialists two-box. I’m sure you can guess what I’m going to say about doman expertise and dunning-kruger effect here, too.
A weak majority/strong plurality of relevant domain experts does not make the question decisively answered.
Tell me, do you have any criterion over whether something is “decisively answered” other than how many “relevant domain experts” agree with it? If your definition of “decisively answered” is solely dependent on this, then we can just agree that we were using different definitions for the term.
The majority of decision theory specialists two-box.
So much for the decision theory specialists. Implement a real life version of Newcomb’s box, where you fill in the opaque box based on whether they said they’ll one-box or two-box. Assuming everyone follows what they said they should do, the one-boxers will just win, and the two-boxers will be weeping.
Tell me, do you have any criterion over whether something is “decisively answered” other than how many “relevant domain experts” agree with it? If your definition of “decisively answered” is solely dependent on this, then we can just agree that we were using different definitions for the term.
I take ‘decisively answered’ to mean something along the lines of “here is an account, which, properly understood, solves this problem to the satisfaction of reasonable people”. So (near) unanimity among relevant domain experts is necessary but not sufficient for this. I can’t think of anything in natural language we would call a ‘decisive answer’ or similar in which 40% or so of relevant domain experts disagree with.
So much for the decision theory specialists. Implement a real life version of Newcomb’s box, where you fill in the opaque box based on whether they said they’ll one-box or two-box. Assuming everyone follows what they said they should do, the one-boxers will just win, and the two-boxers will be weeping.
This is recapitulating a standard argument for one-boxing, and it is well discussed in the literature. The fact the bulk of people who spend their time studying this issue and don’t find this consideration decisive should make you think it is less a silver bullet than you think it is.
This is recapitulating a standard argument for one-boxing, and it is well discussed in the literature. The fact the bulk of people who spend their time studying this issue and don’t find this consideration decisive should make you think it is less a silver bullet than you think it is.
I should update slightly towards that direction, yes, but I have to note that the poll you gave me are not just about people who study the issue, but people who also seem to have made a career out of discussing it, and therefore (I would cynically suggest) perhaps wouldn’t like the discussion to be definitively over.
e.g. Theologists and Priests are perhaps not the best people to poll, if you want to determine the existence of God.
Ah, but I just remembered atheism was one of the things you complained about being treated as obviously correct by most of us here? Because the domain experts about God (Theologists and Priests) haven’t come to same conclusion?
This is recapitulating a standard argument for one-boxing,
I don’t feel a pressing need to be non-standard: One-boxing wins, two-boxing loses—that’s all one needs to know for the purpose of choosing between them.
I should update slightly towards that direction, yes, but I have to note that the poll you gave me are not just about people who study the issue, but people who also seem to have made a career out of discussing it, and therefore (I would cynically suggest) perhaps wouldn’t like the discussion to be definitively over.
Sure, but I gather there are other things you can discuss in decision theory besides Newcomb’s problem, so it isn’t like the decision theorists need an artificial controversy about this to keep their jobs.
There are dissimilarities between decision theorists and (say) theologians, priests etc. Decision theorists are unlikely to have prior convictions about decision theory before starting to study it, unlike folks who discuss religion. The relevant domain expert in ‘Does God exist’ would likely be philosophers of religion, although there is a similar selection effect. However, for what it’s worth, I doubt atheist philosophers of religion would consider the LW case for atheism remotely creditable.
A weak majority/strong plurality of relevant domain experts does not make the question decisively answered. I don’t have survey data on this, but I’m pretty sure none of the compatibilists (even those who ‘accept’ it), take the question to be obviously answered etc. etc.
The majority of decision theory specialists two-box. I’m sure you can guess what I’m going to say about doman expertise and dunning-kruger effect here, too.
Tell me, do you have any criterion over whether something is “decisively answered” other than how many “relevant domain experts” agree with it? If your definition of “decisively answered” is solely dependent on this, then we can just agree that we were using different definitions for the term.
So much for the decision theory specialists. Implement a real life version of Newcomb’s box, where you fill in the opaque box based on whether they said they’ll one-box or two-box. Assuming everyone follows what they said they should do, the one-boxers will just win, and the two-boxers will be weeping.
I take ‘decisively answered’ to mean something along the lines of “here is an account, which, properly understood, solves this problem to the satisfaction of reasonable people”. So (near) unanimity among relevant domain experts is necessary but not sufficient for this. I can’t think of anything in natural language we would call a ‘decisive answer’ or similar in which 40% or so of relevant domain experts disagree with.
This is recapitulating a standard argument for one-boxing, and it is well discussed in the literature. The fact the bulk of people who spend their time studying this issue and don’t find this consideration decisive should make you think it is less a silver bullet than you think it is.
I should update slightly towards that direction, yes, but I have to note that the poll you gave me are not just about people who study the issue, but people who also seem to have made a career out of discussing it, and therefore (I would cynically suggest) perhaps wouldn’t like the discussion to be definitively over.
e.g. Theologists and Priests are perhaps not the best people to poll, if you want to determine the existence of God.
Ah, but I just remembered atheism was one of the things you complained about being treated as obviously correct by most of us here? Because the domain experts about God (Theologists and Priests) haven’t come to same conclusion?
I don’t feel a pressing need to be non-standard: One-boxing wins, two-boxing loses—that’s all one needs to know for the purpose of choosing between them.
Sure, but I gather there are other things you can discuss in decision theory besides Newcomb’s problem, so it isn’t like the decision theorists need an artificial controversy about this to keep their jobs.
There are dissimilarities between decision theorists and (say) theologians, priests etc. Decision theorists are unlikely to have prior convictions about decision theory before starting to study it, unlike folks who discuss religion. The relevant domain expert in ‘Does God exist’ would likely be philosophers of religion, although there is a similar selection effect. However, for what it’s worth, I doubt atheist philosophers of religion would consider the LW case for atheism remotely creditable.