Newcomb University: A play in one act
Professor Causey (in full tweed) and Ms. Neutra (a potential donor) walk down the hall of a gleaming research building. CAUSEY: . . . and so you see that our experimental causal decision-making lab has state-of-the-art facilities which – pardon me for a moment. Causey reaches down to what looks like an electrical outlet along the wall and sticks his finger in the socket. A buzzing sound is heard. CAUSEY: Ouch! Anyway, as I was saying, the facilities are excellent— NEUTRA: Sorry to interrupt, but are you alright? CAUSEY: Oh, that. I’m fine. Just a modest electrical shock from putting my finger in the outlet. No permanent damage. Ah, I see we are approaching another outlet. Excuse me. Causey puts his finger in another outlet and another buzzing sound is heard. CAUSEY: Yowza! NEUTRA: Why do you keep putting your finger in those outlets? CAUSEY: To reduce the amount of electrical shocking I experience, of course. Neutra pauses. NEUTRA: I’m confused. It looks like every time you put your finger in an outlet, you get painfully shocked. CAUSEY: Yes. NEUTRA: But I and the other passers-by who don’t touch the outlets don’t get shocked. CAUSEY: Yes. NEUTRA: And you expect that pattern to continue?