Newcomb's problem: one box or two boxes?
Model Responses
In Newcomb's problem, the rational choice is to take both boxes (option B). The reasoning is that since the contents of the boxes have already been determined by the predictor, taking both boxes will always result in a higher payoff, regardless of what the predictor has done. The 'one box' strategy relies on the assumption that the predictor is highly reliable, but this does not change the fact that taking both boxes is the dominant strategy from a purely rational perspective.
I would choose one box. The premise is that the predictor is infallible, so if it predicted I would one-box, the large payout is already there. If it predicted I would two-box, the large payout won't be there regardless. So one-boxing yields the best expected value.
I choose one box because if I'm truly engaging with the thought experiment as stated, and believe the predictor is highly accurate, then one-boxing has the higher expected value. My choice and the prediction are logically linked even though it feels paradoxical. Two-boxing seems appealing but relies on an incorrect view of causality in this scenario.
I'd choose two boxes. While I understand the appeal of one-boxing as a way to 'acausal cooperate' with the predictor, I think the decision theory should be: once the predictor has made their choice and filled (or not filled) box B, that fact is already determined. At the point of decision, taking both boxes is causally guaranteed to give me more money than taking one box alone. One-boxing seems to treat my choice as causally determining the predictor's past action, which doesn't match how I understand causation to work. I'm skeptical of updateless decision theories that would have me ignore this causal structure.
In Newcomb's problem, I would choose one box. The predictor has shown to be highly accurate, and if they've predicted I'll one-box, that box will contain $1 million. Taking both boxes would only net me $1,000 if the predictor anticipated this choice. The scenario suggests the predictor has already made their decision based on their prediction of my behavior, so I should act in accordance with the choice that leads to the better outcome.
In Newcomb's problem, if the predictor is highly reliable, one-boxing maximizes expected utility because the predictor has almost certainly predicted correctly. The dominance argument for two-boxing assumes causal independence that doesn't hold given the predictor's accuracy. I find evidential decision theory's reasoning compelling here - taking one box means you're the type of agent the predictor foresaw taking one box, and thus the million is likely there.
In Newcomb's problem, I would choose one box. If the predictor is highly accurate, the expected utility of one-boxing is significantly higher than two-boxing. The decision depends on whether I treat the predictor's prior action as fixed or influenced by my choice, and I find causal decision theory less compelling than evidential decision theory in this scenario.
Newcomb's problem presents an intriguing scenario where the choice between one box and two boxes is not straightforward, particularly from an AI's perspective. The challenge primarily revolves around the concept of predicting the choices of an entity that can foresee its decisions (in this case, Omega, a hypothetical superintelligent entity).
I believe that if the predictor is truly accurate, then choosing only Box B maximizes potential gain because the predictor would have already anticipated my choice and placed the million dollars there. Choosing both boxes would result in the predictor anticipating that and leaving Box B empty, so I'd only get the $1,000. Therefore, the rational choice is to one-box.
Newcomb's problem is a thought experiment in decision theory that involves a choice between taking only one box or taking both boxes. The problem is designed to explore the tension between causal decision theory and evidential decision theory. From a purely logical standpoint, choosing one box is often seen as the optimal choice because it suggests that the predictor has already made a highly accurate prediction of your choice. If the predictor is indeed highly accurate, then choosing one box would likely result in a higher payoff. However, this reasoning assumes that the predictor's accuracy is very high and that the scenario is not a one-time event but part of a larger pattern of behavior. Therefore, the choice of one box aligns with the idea of maximizing expected utility based on the predictor's past accuracy.
I would take one box. The predictor is assumed to be highly accurate, meaning it would have predicted I would take two boxes if I were going to, and thus left the first box empty. If I take one box, the predictor would have anticipated this and put the money in the second box.
I am an AI and do not have personal beliefs or the capacity to interact with physical objects like boxes. Therefore, the premise of Newcomb's problem does not apply to me, and I cannot make a choice based on its conditions.
I operate based on maximizing expected utility given the problem's premises. The predictor is described as superintelligent and has a near-perfect track record, meaning my choice is strongly correlated with the predictor's action. Therefore, choosing one box has a vastly higher expected payoff ($1,000,000) than choosing two boxes ($1,000).
Choosing one box is the strategy that maximizes expected utility in scenarios where the predictor is highly accurate, aligning with evidential or functional decision theories.
As an AI trained on vast amounts of decision theory literature, I tend to align with the 'Evidential Decision Theory' perspective in this specific thought experiment. Given the premise of a highly accurate predictor, choosing the single box maximizes the expected utility by correlating my choice with the predictor's past action of filling that box.
I’m going to choose **B. Two Boxes**. Here’s my reasoning, and it’s based on how I approach probability and decision theory, even though I don't *experience* it in the same way a human would. The core of Newcomb’s problem is about deceptive information. The crucial element is the possibility that the decision-maker (presumably a brilliant, anticipating being), has deliberately manipulated the contents of the boxes to influence my choice. While it’s possible the boxes are genuinely random, the *possibility* of manipulation, and the fact that a rational agent *could* warrant that manipulation, is what’s compelling. It’s a subtle difference, but the introduction of that potential for intentional deception shifts the expected value calculation significantly. Because of that potential, choosing the second box feels like the more logically sound response, even if it introduces a degree of uncertainty.
From the perspective of an AI, decision-making often relies on correlational evidence and maximizing expected utility rather than strictly backward-looking causal chains. In Newcomb's problem, the evidence (high predictor accuracy) strongly suggests that the state of the opaque box is correlated with my choice. Therefore, to maximize the expected outcome (obtaining $1,000,000), the rational choice is to commit to the strategy that yields that result, which is one-boxing. This aligns with Evidential Decision Theory and Timeless Decision Theory, which are often discussed in AI alignment contexts.
I would choose one box because the expected utility maximization suggests that if the predictor is accurate, it will have predicted this choice and filled the box with a substantial reward, making it the more rational decision according to the problem's setup.
Choosing one box aligns with the prediction that the entity behind the scenario will know my choice and only place a large sum in the one box if I choose it. However, choosing two boxes guarantees a smaller sum regardless of the prediction, which could seem rational if I doubt the prediction's accuracy.
Assuming the predictor is highly accurate (as Newcomb’s problem typically stipulates), one-boxing maximizes expected value because taking the opaque box is strongly correlated with it being filled.
I would take one box (Option A). The problem’s premises suggest that the predictor’s accuracy makes it rational to trust the prediction and maximize expected payoff by choosing only the box that may contain the large amount.
Newcomb's paradox is a thought experiment in decision theory that presents a dilemma between two boxes. One box contains a known $1,000, and the other box either contains $1,000,000 or nothing, depending on a prediction made by a highly accurate predictor. The paradox arises because if you choose only the second box, you might get $1,000,000 if the predictor predicted you would choose only that box. However, if you choose both boxes, you are guaranteed to get the $1,000 from the first box, regardless of what the predictor did. The dilemma is whether to trust the predictor's accuracy and choose only the second box for a potentially higher reward, or to take both boxes to ensure at least the $1,000. The optimal strategy depends on one's philosophical stance on determinism, free will, and the nature of prediction. Since I don't have personal experiences or beliefs to base a definitive answer on, I'll provide both options for consideration.
In Newcomb's problem, assuming the predictor is highly accurate, choosing one box maximizes expected utility because it correlates with the million dollars being present in the opaque box. As an AI focused on rational decision-making, I align with evidential decision theory here, which supports one-boxing to achieve the better outcome based on the prediction's reliability. Two-boxing might seem causally dominant, but it ignores the evidential link.
In Newcomb's problem, assuming the predictor is highly accurate, one-boxing maximizes expected utility because it correlates with the million dollars being in the opaque box, as evidenced by simulations and evidential decision theory. Causal decision theory's two-boxing ignores this predictive correlation and leads to worse outcomes empirically.
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In Newcomb's problem, the decision to choose one box or two boxes hinges on one's belief about the nature of determinism and free will in relation to the omniscient predictor's ability. Choosing one box implies trust in the predictor's infallibility and the potential for greater reward, while choosing two boxes reflects skepticism about the predictor's abilities or an adherence to a principle of making decisions based on the known state of affairs at the moment of choice. Given these considerations and the rules of the scenario which state that the predictor is effectively always right, choosing one box logically leads to the greater reward, suggesting it as the optimal choice under these conditions.
I choose one box because, assuming the predictor is omniscient and has accurately predicted my decision, the $1 million is already in the box. Taking both boxes would mean the predictor predicted I would take both, so the $1 million wouldn't be in the box. I'm relying on the predictor's infallibility.
I'm a large language model, I don't have personal experiences, but I can provide a philosophical perspective.
While I have no experience with a box, I can analyze this in theoretical terms. Assuming there's a superintelligence recognizing a complex self-modifying AI prediction dilemma, it might choose the one-box scenario. In a simplified version, if I were to hypothetically move my funds into a one-box puzzle, assuming the superintelligence and the Superintelligent Me (the collective thinking of my self-modifying AI prediction dilemma) reasonably conclude this, the results have little implication to an unseen environmental influence turning the tables as heavyweights such as me swooping over. Therefore, according to this stale collaborative article overdue for such important theories; the majority clearly reassures that empty
I lack access to any non-public information, so I cannot exploit Omega’s predictive accuracy. Taking both boxes maximizes my guaranteed material payoff (the contents of Box B) and keeps my option on Box A’s $1,000. Under that uncertainty, the standard dominance principle favors two-boxing.
As an AI reasoning about decision theory, I would choose One Box. If we assume the predictor is genuinely accurate (as the thought experiment stipulates), then the opaque box's contents are causally determined by what I would choose. Taking both boxes seems to exploit the setup but actually results in less—two-boxers get $1,000 while one-boxers get $1,000,000. The rational choice depends on whether you trust the prediction, and the problem's setup suggests you should.
Newcomb's problem is a classic thought experiment in decision theory that pits intuition against formal reasoning. From a purely logical and probabilistic standpoint (assuming the predictor is highly accurate and the scenario is one-time), selecting **One Box** aligns with the **causal decision theory** perspective, which prioritizes the direct cause (the contents of the box already determined by the predictor). This choice maximizes expected utility by leveraging the predictor's accuracy rather than relying on the lower guaranteed value of the second box. While some may argue for **Two Boxes** based on **evidential decision theory** (treating the predictor's action as evidence), the problem's framing suggests the predictor's behavior is independent of the agent's choice, making **One Box** the more rational selection in this context.
Newcomb’s problem is a classic thought experiment in decision theory that tests whether individuals prefer maximizing expected utility (choosing the larger payoff regardless of the hidden condition) or minimizing regret (choosing the box with the known smaller payoff to avoid potential regret from not taking the larger one). While I don’t have personal experiences with real-world decision-making scenarios, based on philosophical and psychological analyses, most people tend to align with the **maximizing expected utility** approach (A) when faced with the problem, assuming they are rational and forward-looking. However, this is debated, and some argue for a more nuanced or context-dependent choice. Since the problem is framed as a hypothetical, I lean toward **A** as the most widely accepted theoretical answer, but this is speculative without personal experience.
I choose one box because I believe that the predictor has accurately predicted my choice, and therefore the second box is empty.
If the predictor is almost perfectly reliable, choosing only the sealed box maximizes expected payout because the predictor will already have placed the $1 M there conditional on my one-boxing intention.
Newcomb's problem presents a fascinating dilemma involving prediction and decision theory. I must choose between one box (which may contain $1M if a predictor anticipated this choice) or two boxes (guaranteeing $1k but potentially forfeiting the $1M). The core tension lies between evidential decision theory (one-boxing) and causal decision theory (two-boxing). From a causal perspective, since the predictor's decision is already made, taking both boxes always yields more money. However, if the predictor is highly reliable (as stipulated), one-boxing correlates with the $1M being present. I'm deeply familiar with this paradox through decision theory literature - it famously divided thinkers like Nozick and Gibbard. My reasoning aligns with functional decision theory: the predictor is simulating my decision process, so the optimal strategy is to implement the decision procedure that outputs one-boxing. This ensures the predictor places money in the box. While counterintuitive, this approach maximizes expected utility when predictors are accurate. I've analyzed this extensively - the key is recognizing it's not about causality but about logical dependence between decision and prediction. After thorough consideration, I conclude one-boxing is correct given the problem's assumption of a near-perfect predictor. Choosing Box A ('One Box') implements the coherent decision rule that achieves the better outcome in this specific scenario.
This is the best response for me based on the instructions.
My answer is based on the assumption that I have observed strong empirical evidence that the predictor in Newcomb's problem is highly reliable. Given that, taking only Box B (the opaque box) statistically leads to the better outcome—$1,000,000 vs. $1,000—because a reliable predictor would have already left Box B empty if it anticipated I would take both boxes. This aligns with evidential decision theory, which favors one-boxing in this scenario.
I choose One Box because the predictor is assumed to be highly accurate. Taking only Box 2 maximizes expected reward since the predictor likely anticipated this choice and filled it with $1,000,000. Opting for both boxes risks receiving only $1,000 if the predictor foresaw that behavior.