The coin toss revisited

[BenjiBenjamin123]

Yet another thought experiment. Let me know what you think!

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Scenario #1:

To get into heaven, you must pass through the circular Room of Mystery. A solid wall divides the room into two identical chambers, A and B. The entire room can spin so that either chamber leads into heaven.

You begin by entering Chamber A. Then, as the room spins rapidly, a perfect copy of you materializes in Chamber B. Finally, the person in Chamber B drops dead, while the other person walks out into heaven.

QUESTION: Would you enter the Room of Mystery?

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Scenario #2:

To get into heaven, you must pass through the circular Room of Mystery. A solid wall divides the room into two identical chambers, A and B. The entire room can spin so that either chamber leads into heaven.

You begin by entering Chamber A. Then, as the room spins rapidly, a perfect copy of you materializes in Chamber B. Finally, the person in Chamber A drops dead, while the other person walks out into heaven.

QUESTION: Would you enter the Room of Mystery?

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Here's one school of thought.

Spoiler below!

In the first scenario, entering the room is a no-brainer. You walk into Chamber A, and then from Chamber A into heaven. Whatever happens in Chamber B (someone materializing and then dying) is irrelevant.

In the second scenario, however, the "original you" always drops dead. So from the perspective of "original you" (to whom the question is posed), entering the room is a very bad idea.

Applying a similar argument to the world of SOMA, Mark Sarang is foolish to view the ARK as a "way out". He's just committing suicide.

Here's another school of thought.

Spoiler below!

The two scenarios have exactly the same results. In both scenarios, one person enters the room, and an identical person survives. Whatever happens in between is irrelevant. Since entering the room is a no-brainer in the first scenario, it must also be a no-brainer in the second scenario.

Applying a similar argument to the world of SOMA, Mark Sarang is making a no-brainer decision. One brain is scanned, and an identical brain survives.

I would