Manuel Insists He Places an Infinite Value on His Life

question 164

Multiple Choice

Manuel insists he places an infinite value on his life. Stefan is suspicious of this claim and points out to Manuel that he sometimes eats ice cream when broccoli would be much better for him. What Big Idea is Stefan using?

• A) The Power of Trade: Manuel could not make his own ice cream, though he could grow his own broccoli; Manuel must be trading for ice cream.
• B) Incentives: No one is paying Manuel to be healthy.
• C) Thinking on the Margin: "Infinite value" is too much to be on the margin.
• D) Trade-offs: Gaining some enjoyment is worth giving up some safety.

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Definitions:

Ecological Inheritance

Environmental modifications, as a result of niche construction, that affect the development of offspring and descendants.

Kinship Studies

Studies that use naturally occurring conditions provided by kinship relations to estimate genetic and environmental contributions to a phenotypic trait.

Genetic Influences

The impact of genes inherited from parents on an individual's traits, characteristics, and likelihood of developing certain conditions or diseases.

Phenotypic Plasticity

The ability of an organism to change its phenotype in response to changes in the environment.