Newcomb’s problem is one possible way to explain the power of precommitments, and why “doing what seems most rational at this moment” doesn’t have to be the best strategy generally.
(But of course you can also explain precommitments without the Newcomb’s problem.)
Sometimes rationality novices are prone to use greedy reasoning, and dismiss everything else as “irrational”. Newcomb’s problem may happen be the koan that wakes them up.
In its literal meaning (i.e. not merely as a metaphor for something else), as MrMind said, it’s useful for people who do something with decision theory, like publish papers on it, or try to build a decision-making machine. Otherwise, it’s just a curiosity.
Newcomb’s problem is one possible way to explain the power of precommitments
You can’t precommit to something you have no idea will happen.
In the standard Newcomb’s problem the existence of Omega and his two boxes is a surprise to you. You did not train since childhood for the moment of meeting him.
Newcomb’s problem is one possible way to explain the power of precommitments, and why “doing what seems most rational at this moment” doesn’t have to be the best strategy generally.
(But of course you can also explain precommitments without the Newcomb’s problem.)
Sometimes rationality novices are prone to use greedy reasoning, and dismiss everything else as “irrational”. Newcomb’s problem may happen be the koan that wakes them up.
In its literal meaning (i.e. not merely as a metaphor for something else), as MrMind said, it’s useful for people who do something with decision theory, like publish papers on it, or try to build a decision-making machine. Otherwise, it’s just a curiosity.
You can’t precommit to something you have no idea will happen.
In the standard Newcomb’s problem the existence of Omega and his two boxes is a surprise to you. You did not train since childhood for the moment of meeting him.