What Is the Purpose of Robert Nozick's Thought Experiment About

question 55

Multiple Choice

What is the purpose of Robert Nozick's thought experiment about the person in the well who vaporizes someone with a ray gun?

• A) To demonstrate that moral intuitions are unreliable in scenarios that are too unrealistic.
• B) To demonstrate that all intermediate moral principles have exceptions.
• C) To test the principle that it is always wrong to use force against an innocent person.
• D) To test the principle that it is permissible to harm someone in self-defense when you have no alternative.

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Definitions:

Variable Interval

Variable interval refers to a reinforcement schedule in which rewards are given after unpredictable time intervals, used in behavioral conditioning.

Reinforcement

In psychology, a process by which a stimulus increases the probability of a response through either positive or negative reinforcement.

Response

A reaction to a specific stimulus or set of stimuli, which can be observable behavior or internal processes.

Intermittent Reinforcement

A conditioning schedule where a response is reinforced only some of the time, leading to more resistant behaviour to extinction.