[tpm] Job interview question

[billt-lxSQFCZeNF4 at public.gmane.org]

Consider the following outcome to the situation:

The solution given was: give the keys to your friend, tell him to take the old woman to the hosiptal, and stay with the love of your life waiting for the bus.

Now the solution has the following outcome:
40% chance 
Your friend who is in a psychotic state, decides instead to opt for a murder suicide, and drives your car off a cliff. The love of your life, a deeply religious person decides, you're actions that night was really part of a satanic ritual and wants nothing to do with you.

35% chance
Your friend takes the old lady to the hospital, and you start the relationship you want.

25% chance
Your friend gets into an accident, because he doesn't have a drivers license, kills himself and the old woman, but you start the relationship with the love of your life.

Thus:
there is a 60% chance you start a relationship, and a 65% chance that two people die.

Would you choose the strategy, knowing the outcome?

Bill

On Sun, Jan 15, 2006 at 05:43:06PM -0500, Alex Beamish wrote:
> On 1/12/06, Indy Singh <indy-k5e8U2l/CWTzIImvGDD8mw at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> >
> >
> > You are driving along in your car on a wild, stormy night. You pass by a
> > bus stop, and you see three people waiting for the bus:
> >
> > 1. An old lady who looks as if she is about to die.
> > 2. An old friend who once saved your life.
> > 3. The perfect man (or) woman you have been dreaming about.
> >
> > Which one would you choose to offer a ride to, knowing that there could
> > only be one passenger in your car.
> >
> > Think before you continue reading. This is a moral/ethical dilemma that
> > was once actually used as part of a job application.
> 
> 
> Interesting question .. obviously, I don't think far enough outside the box.
> 
> I imagined stoppping, helping the old lady into the car, saying hello to my
> old friend and asking the young lady for her phone number in case the bus
> has come by the time I come back to pick her up.
> 
> That's a cute question, but it's tough to imagine using a brain teaser in an
> interview situation unless you were trying to figure out if the candidate in
> question was really quite smart (but having a bad day) or a dolt (but making
> a lot of good guesses).
> 
> Alex
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