3 million dollars USD vs Pandas

[Proctopeo]

Maybe, as long as we're talking about just the actual pandas and not things called pandas.
I'd probably want at least 5 million, though.

[Community Values]

I mean, if people knew I was the reason for the irrevocable extinction of an entire species, I'd probably be killed within the first 48 hours. I'd take it though, if no one else knew about it.

[Kenmoria]

I would take the money, no doubts at all. Of course that is assuming nobody knows I was the reason for the extinction of an entire species, if someone knew I could guarantee death by public hanging for myself within the next 30 minutes. In addition, I could just use some of the three million to invest in some sort of panda-recovery device that would make a jurassic park of pandas.

[Ifreann]

I am not a Captain Planet villain, I do not wish to sacrifice an entire species for the sake of making myself rich.

But how do you feel about selling nuclear weapons to both the UVF and IRA?

---

Maybe, as long as we're talking about just the actual pandas and not things called pandas.
I'd probably want at least 5 million, though.

That's something, would we just be making the giant panda, Ailuropoda melanoleuca, extinct? Would the Qinling panda and red panda survive? Would the various other things called panda also vanish?

[Risottia]

Maybe, as long as we're talking about just the actual pandas and not things called pandas.
I'd probably want at least 5 million, though.

You can't extinguish the Fiat Pandas. Marchionne can make more.

I guess Fiat Pandas are the real pandas. After all, there's at least 1000 Pandas for every single panda.

[Ifreann]

Maybe, as long as we're talking about just the actual pandas and not things called pandas.
I'd probably want at least 5 million, though.

You can't extinguish the Fiat Pandas. Marchionne can make more.

I guess Fiat Pandas are the real pandas. After all, there's at least 1000 Pandas for every single panda.

Well it's only natural that there be fewer giant pandas. They're giant, after all.

[Greater Cesnica]

What kind of a question is that? Fuck the money, Pandas should be preserved.

[Infected Mushroom]

What kind of a question is that? Fuck the money, Pandas should be preserved.

You like pandas?

[Ifreann]

What kind of a question is that? Fuck the money, Pandas should be preserved.

You like pandas?

Who doesn't like pandas? They're big fluffy bears.

[Vassenor]

With these sorts of threads you're not allowed to mention things like that. They always take place in some magic pocket universe where doing the thing to get the money carries no consequences whatsoever because otherwise people might not go for it.

there are no personal consequences

no one will investigate how you got the 3 million dollars; no one will know how you got them and no one will care

it just depends on your own personal morality and priorities, some people may not be able to sleep at night quite the same after... others will be just fine

Told you. These scenarios only work in a magic fantasy land.

[Sovaal]

You like pandas?

Who doesn't like pandas? They're big fluffy bears.

I form one prefer Red Pandas, which are not bears.

[Ifreann]

Who doesn't like pandas? They're big fluffy bears.

I form one prefer Red Pandas, which are not bears.

They are fluffy, though.

[Diopolis]

What kind of a question is that? Fuck the money, Pandas should be preserved.

You like pandas?

If I take the money, do I get to eat the pandas?

[Kizja]

but why though?

the deal is only being offered to you, not to everyone on the planet and as you've already said, pandas can only be extinct once

so why do you care what others in your shoes would choose or some other hypothetical where every was offered a variation of the same choice? Why view things through this lens?

I only wish to act in ways such that if everyone acted that way, I would prefer that outcome. Think of it as a variation on the golden rule. Without this principle or a similar one, worse outcomes occur.

Another way to look at it is to imagine that the person to act is being randomly chosen from some distribution that includes me. To best make my decision, I must decide what I want the person who is chosen to choose, and then should I be chosen, make that decision.

As an analogy, suppose I am given a one time ability to break into a car to steal some money and get away with it, guaranteed. I would certainly prefer that whoever ended up with that opportunity did not act on it, or soon the world would be miserable, and so I myself will not act on the opportunity.

This is a variation on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superrationality

[Infected Mushroom]

but why though?

the deal is only being offered to you, not to everyone on the planet and as you've already said, pandas can only be extinct once

so why do you care what others in your shoes would choose or some other hypothetical where every was offered a variation of the same choice? Why view things through this lens?

I only wish to act in ways such that if everyone acted that way, I would prefer that outcome. Think of it as a variation on the golden rule. Without this principle or a similar one, worse outcomes occur.

Another way to look at it is to imagine that the person to act is being randomly chosen from some distribution that includes me. To best make my decision, I must decide what I want the person who is chosen to choose, and then should I be chosen, make that decision.

As an analogy, suppose I am given a one time ability to break into a car to steal some money and get away with it, guaranteed. I would certainly prefer that whoever ended up with that opportunity did not act on it, or soon the world would be miserable, and so I myself will not act on the opportunity.

This is a variation on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superrationality

But again... I don't understand. Why?

I mean, it doesn't sound like a very good way to analyse things. Lets take an example where you apply these rules.

"Am I going to accept this job?"

Well... if a random person (other than you were chosen) you would not want them to take that job. Because if they took the job, you wouldn't be able to get it. Hence logically... you don't take the job (or any other job). You are never employed.

Okay maybe that's a bit contrived...

but let's look at this way: Why are you factoring in a Non-Outcome in your assessment of the pros and cons of two alternative outcomes?

You are saying, "What if X" but X isn't a possibility. Its either Yes or No, neither outcome leads to X (there is no such situation where an alternative person(s) is offered this deal, its entirely imaginary). So why not analyse the pros and cons of the outcomes as they exist, instead of a re-imagined variation?

[Infected Mushroom]

You like pandas?

If I take the money, do I get to eat the pandas?

you can't eat what has vanished

[Ethel mermania]

With these sorts of threads you're not allowed to mention things like that. They always take place in some magic pocket universe where doing the thing to get the money carries no consequences whatsoever because otherwise people might not go for it.

there are no personal consequences

no one will investigate how you got the 3 million dollars; no one will know how you got them and no one will care

it just depends on your own personal morality and priorities, some people may not be able to sleep at night quite the same after... others will be just fine

Told you. These scenarios only work in a magic fantasy land.

Welcome to nationstates.

[LimaUniformNovemberAlpha]

I'd rather have the 3 million dollars than protect a species that made the Not Endangered Enough list.

I'm all for the environment, but let's focus on environmental causes with actual merit.

[Tuthina]

You like pandas?

Who doesn't like pandas? They're big fluffy bears.

I don't. Screw them!

[Infected Mushroom]

You like pandas?

Who doesn't like pandas? They're big fluffy bears.

like Tibbers?

[Infected Mushroom]

Maybe, as long as we're talking about just the actual pandas and not things called pandas.
I'd probably want at least 5 million, though.

why? 3 million not good enough? what do you want that needs 5 million?

[The Bio-Regional Cooperative of States]

Give me 3 billion then we'll talk

Before anyone interdicts, i'll use the money to attempt to bring back Panda's through similiar ways people have suggested we bring back mammoths, except related to pandas.

[Proctopeo]

Maybe, as long as we're talking about just the actual pandas and not things called pandas.
I'd probably want at least 5 million, though.

why? 3 million not good enough? what do you want that needs 5 million?

5 million is more money.

[Nouveau Yathrib]

Give me 3 billion then we'll talk

Before anyone interdicts, i'll use the money to attempt to bring back Panda's through similiar ways people have suggested we bring back mammoths, except related to pandas.

I'm still wondering why OP chose such an absurdly low sum of money for the premise.

[Frenequesta]

Didn't you make a similar thread about a different offer (if I recall correctly, giving up the right to vote)? I can't help but think you're trying to write some sort of paper on human rationality.

I do not go about knowingly causing irreparable (or at least non-compensable) harms. I'll keep the pandas and make my $3 million through good old fashioned slaving away in an office cubicle.