Magical Cure Or The Doctor's Dilemma

[mskmoorthy]

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I know this is a serious topic and great discussions are going on in general discussions

Here is a logical problem in the numberplay section that appeared in Newyork times lastyear. The problem is attributed to John McCarthy (Artificial Intelligence Pioneer)
by Ed Fredkin (inventor and entrepreneur)

The question is:

Here’s Mr. Fredkin with an introduction to the second puzzle.

Years ago, I left Caltech after two years, joined the Air Force, became a fighter pilot, and eventually I found my way to M.I.T., where I taught problem solving. This problem came from [the artificial intelligence pioneer] John McCarthy, who was at M.I.T. at the time.

The problem was one of John McCarthy’s favorites. He used to say, “Those who refuse to do arithmetic are doomed to talk nonsense,” and arithmetic is certainly required here.
The Doctor’s Dilemma
There’s a doctor who discovers she possesses an unusual ability to heal through touch: If someone’s sick and she touches them, they’re healed. What should she do?
The touching must happen directly. That is, her fingertips (or fingernails or hair) can’t be removed and sent around the world. And she can’t touch someone who touches someone else. She has to be present to do the touching.
​

Here is the link
http://wordplay.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/12/22/fredkin/

 

[auh]

The question is:

Here’s Mr. Fredkin with an introduction to the second puzzle.

Years ago, I left Caltech after two years, joined the Air Force, became a fighter pilot, and eventually I found my way to M.I.T., where I taught problem solving. This problem came from [the artificial intelligence pioneer] John McCarthy, who was at M.I.T. at the time.

The problem was one of John McCarthy’s favorites. He used to say, “Those who refuse to do arithmetic are doomed to talk nonsense,” and arithmetic is certainly required here.
The Doctor’s Dilemma
There’s a doctor who discovers she possesses an unusual ability to heal through touch: If someone’s sick and she touches them, they’re healed. What should she do?
The touching must happen directly. That is, her fingertips (or fingernails or hair) can’t be removed and sent around the world. And she can’t touch someone who touches someone else. She has to be present to do the touching.
​

Here is the link
http://wordplay.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/12/22/fredkin/

I read the article and the solution given therein; I fail to understand the dilemma here...

 

[prasad1]

What has the doctor to do with the puzzle? What happens to the story if you change the characters?
so the outlandish premise of the story is just fluff.

 

[mskmoorthy]

Shri auh asks:

I read the article and the solution given therein; I fail to understand the dilemma here...

The dilemma arises when the solution is not clear to the doctor in the puzzle.

Shri Prasad asks

What has the doctor to do with the puzzle? What happens to the story if you change the characters?
so the outlandish premise of the story is just fluff.

Puzzles are usally what if scenarios - Not every one likes/appreciates the puzzles.

I am sorry to have posted this item much to your dislike.

 

[auh]

The dilemma arises when the solution is not clear to the doctor in the puzzle.

I am sorry but the puzzle itself is vague as to what it seeks to accompolish. Now I initially thought that it was an ethical (or moral) puzzle since the individual was a "doctor" who, as we understand, should not give in to unproven methods of treatment. But now that the doctor had the "ability" that she, as an individual, can vouch for, and hence true. So the dilemma, imo, was that of the options as an individual, and as a doctor. As a doctor, she can either discard the "ability" not knowing its full import, and continue to give medications as prescribed, but knowing that she could have cured the ailment fully, or as an individual, to throw up the status of a doctor and start treatment by the very method that she herself would have scorned at had it happened to a different person.

Now this is what I would call a dilemma - some unsatisfaction or ambiguity in whatever alternative she chooses.

From the solutions given, I understand that people had proposed ways and means by which she could touch people. That is a matter of procedure and simple enough. The real dilemma is in choosing what to do. And the solution should address the "why" (and one that should hold good to similar cases also).

Hope I am clear now.

Thanks,