Patrick's Place

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Saturday 6

[A] stranger approaches you with a mysterious box. He opens the box to reveal a single red push-button and he offers you the chance to press it one single time. Yes, it’s based on a recent movie, but there are a few twists. Would you press the button, based on the facts that are part of each of the six questions?

Before going on, I have to state unequivocally that I'm unlikely to touch anything a stranger waves around at me in public.

1. From the scenario described above, would you press the button if the stranger claimed that you’d immediately receive $10 million, but a total stranger elsewhere would die: would you press the button?

Nope. What would I need $10 million for?

2. What if the offer were increased to $50 million, but the catch was that someone you know personally — either family, a friend, a co-worker, or an acquaintance — would die, and you’d have no control of who it was: would you press the button?

If I didn't need $10 million, I don't think quintupling it is going to help.

3. What if he told you that pushing the button would give you $10 million, but that an inmate on death row would die of natural causes: would you press the button?

What? No.

4. What if, in addition to the scenario in #2, he confirmed that the death row inmate had genuinely committed the crime of which he was convicted, so there was no chance of killing an "innocent" man: would you then press the button?

NO! No no no no no.

5. What if, instead of any of those scenarios, the stranger said pressing the button would give you $1 million dollars and the knowledge of exactly what day and what time you would die: would you still press the button?

I haven't pressed the button yet, and I really don't need or want to know when I'm dying.

6. And what if, instead of any other scenario, the stranger told you that pressing the button would give you just $10,000, but that you’d also have a one-hour, one-on-one encounter with God, removing all doubt that He exists, but that you’d then have to live a life that reflected your newly-found knowledge. Would you press the button?

Yup. Got a scenario that'll work for me! I have questions for the Big Guy.