labmath2 Posted June 25, 2015 Posted June 25, 2015 There are ten people in a room and there is one window in this room. Everyone prefers the window in a configuration and at least one person most prefers the window completely closed and at least one person most prefers the window completely opened. Without knowing the preference of others, come up with a process to determine the state the window should be kept in based on everyone's preference. Test your process by assigning everyone preferences and seeing if your process works and if you are happy with the outcome.
ribuck Posted June 25, 2015 Posted June 25, 2015 Easy! Every person gets 15 minutes at a time to have the window in their ideal position. I have used this strategy in a carload of six people, where each person wanted different music playing or wanted silence. Every time, long before it gets to the last person's turn, people have forgotten about the dispute because they're focused on something else. 1
thebeardslastcall Posted June 25, 2015 Posted June 25, 2015 Are they prisoners or are they there voluntarily?This question gives me a "A Beautiful Mind" flashback, if you remember the scene. Are we assuming their preferences are fixed and can't be altered by changing some variable? If their preferences are arbitrary and fairly irrelevant to them, then they won't care too much if they don't get their preference, or don't get it for most of the time. They can share the time and alternate based on how many prefer it each way or could alter their preferences based on the non-arbitrariness of the preferences. If one person is going to die if the window is closed then many might generally prefer it closed, but would prefer the window open to the person dying. One preference can override another preference or they could get the guy a breather and then everyone might generally be okay with the window being closed. Maybe add a plant to the room for better air recycling. Without more details the simple time split is a pretty good way to do it. With more details there could be a great many different ways to solve the situation. Also, even in a voluntary society, you can't pretend to appease everyone all the time fully, you can only agree upon the method to resolve the situation and then there is inevitably a "loser", whether it be for a portion of the time, or all of the time. They may "lose" this time to win more other times. So I would suggest the simple time split method unless there were greater considerations or alternate solutions to be had, which weren't detailed.
Carl Green Posted June 25, 2015 Posted June 25, 2015 Tell everyone there's a "social contract" that they have to vote for one person to be in charge. This person, without direct contact to the people that voted for the person, should decide how the window should be oriented. And if you don't like how the window's oriented, than you can just fucking leave.
thebeardslastcall Posted June 25, 2015 Posted June 25, 2015 Tell everyone there's a "social contract" that they have to vote for one person to be in charge. This person, without direct contact to the people that voted for the person, should decide how the window should be oriented. And if you don't like how the window's oriented, than you can just fucking leave. Nice one Makes me wonder if there is a door or if the window is the only way out. But that damn politician closed it, crikey! Then all the people inside get forced to do work and over half of them want to keep the window closed so people can't escape leaving them with a larger share of work to do. The window surely says "Terrorists outside, window closed for your protection!" Must keep the windows closed to keep the terrorists out as well, it's a dangerous world! Then they spend all their time arguing over the distribution of the work load while a measure passes in the middle of the night to have the window shaded to prevent them from seeing outside. Then after they unfairly settle on a distribution of work they give everyone a vote on the meal of the day to appease them. Overstuffed or non-overstuffed canned ravioli.
Guest Gee Posted June 25, 2015 Posted June 25, 2015 No moral content involved, so no UPB answer. Binary option, window is open or closed, aesthetic preference. Closed auction to buy the right to determine the window being open or closed, winning option is the greater sum of the individual options and the collected revenue is distributed to the losing option relative on their bids. For example........ O = Bid open C = Bid closed O x is bid x pounds that the window is open. Commence bidding......... O 4 C 5 C 2 C 2 C 3 O 10 O 1 O 1 C 6 O 1 Summing.... O = 17 C = 18 18 > 17 thus C > O and the window remains closed, the money is now collected and returned as a dividend to those who bid open based on how much they bid relative to the total bid for open ie... O 10 is a open bid of 10 thus this bidder received 10/17 * 18 pounds in return which is more than he was willing to give to have the window open. By the principle of free exchange subjective theory of value (that exchange only occurs if one receives something of greater value) it must be that all participants have had gained economic value which is to say that this must be the preferred outcome for all people (based on their actually state). Edit* In the event of a tie, a second round of bidding commences. Edit2* Just realised my error, collect money from all.
labmath2 Posted June 25, 2015 Author Posted June 25, 2015 I leave the details open to your imagination to see what clever ways people can come up with. Adding more details can also over-complicate it. get the sense people assume there are only two states for the window, closed or opened. That is certainly one way to think of it. Sure you can think people can leave, but it defeats the point of finding a resolution. There is no reason to assume the people only have one preference or that their preferences are immutable. I am just giving a starting point to work with. So far the answers have been both interesting and funny.
Blackout Posted June 26, 2015 Posted June 26, 2015 What is the function of the window? 1) To block or let in light 2) To block or let in air 3) Allow one to see outside Those who prefer light, fresh air, and a good view exit through the window. The window is then closed.
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