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The Western Canon Mailing List
Moderator: Paul John Barnette Jr.
Activation Date: March 8, 1997
Current Date:  August 21, 1997
Current Membership: 100
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>I like the Pascal gamble argument.  I believe the gamble must be
>modified because people's actions vary.  One should assume that people
>act will good; but, one should also be prepared for bad actions.
>
>Stephen H. Byrd
>

Mr. Byrd:
 
     I am not sure whether your statements above are referring to Pascal's
gamble or Pete Thigpin's "Machiavelli's gamble" since you refer to Pascal's
gamble but discuss the elements as they would exist in "Machiavelli
gamble".  For sake of argument, I am going to assume that your statements
were meant to refer to the "Machiavelli's Gamble".  

     Perhaps you can clarify a few points for me in your statements because
I can't quite follow your logic:  

1.     If you want to modify "Machiavelli's Gamble" to your new parameters
and assume that all people are good, doesn't that leave you vulnerable to
people whose actions are not good?  With your modification, why would you
even need to distinguish between Machiavellian behavior or non
Machiavellian behavior? It seems to me the  whole idea behind
"Machiavelli's Gamble" is that it shows that if you don't act in accord to
Machiavellian principles, you run the risk of being done in if people are
not good, but that if you follow Machiavellian principles, even if people
are bad, your security is still assured.  Your modification seems to gut
the protection provided in the original construction. 

2.      You claim that the aforementioned modification should be made
because the actions of people vary.  Isn't that precisely why one would not
want to assume that people are always good and would want to employ
Machiavellian principles to begin with to ensure their security?

3.     You say that while making your modification, you should be prepared
for bad actions as well.  Doesn't that negate your modification and return
us to the original construction of the statement? 

Bret Williams 

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