From: Eliezer S. Yudkowsky (sentience@pobox.com)
Date: Fri Sep 13 2002 - 14:10:16 MDT
natashavita@earthlink.net wrote:
>
> "Teaching Math in 1950: A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100.
> His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit?
>
> Teaching Math in 1960: A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100.
> His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What is his profit?
>
> Teaching Math in 1970: A logger exchanges a set "L" of lumber for a set
> "M" of money. The cardinality of set "M" is 100. Each element is worth
> one dollar. Make 100 dots representing the elements of the set "M." The
> set "C", the cost of production, contains 20 fewer points than set "M."
> Represent the set "C" as a subset of set "M" and answer the following
> question: What is the cardinality of the set "P" of profits?
>
> Teaching Math in 1980: A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100.
> His cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20. Your assignment:
> Underline the number 20.
>
> Teaching Math in 1990: By cutting down beautiful forest trees, the
> logger makes $20. What do you think of this way of making a living?
> Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the
> forest birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down the trees? There
> are no wrong answers.
>
> Teaching Math in 2000: A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100.
> His cost of production is $120. How does Arthur Andersen determine that
> his profit margin is $60?
Teaching Math in 2010: A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100.
His cost of production is 4/5th of the price. Using Google, find the
logger's name and home address.
Teaching Math in 2020: A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100.
His cost of production is 4/5th of the price. Extrapolate a species that
would think determining his profit was a difficult math problem and
discuss the ancestral conditions under which it is likely to have evolved.
Do not use local or extended memory of any time prior to 21:07 GMT on
September 13th, 2012.
-- Eliezer S. Yudkowsky http://singinst.org/ Research Fellow, Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence
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