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by Hn111111 4595 days ago
It's like a long-time smoker saying that they have no reason to not smoke that next cigarette because it's not like that one cigarette is going to kill them.
2 comments

It's not like that at all. Not smoking "that next cigarette," which we could define as not smoking any cigarette in the next 30 minutes, is a very important decision that has a very direct impact on whether they will quit long-term.
Well it probably won't, right? I too find this hard to reason about, whether regarding voting or cigarettes. Perhaps I'm just thick. Is there a concept in, say, game theory that deals with this?
I think an argument can be made that smoking another cigarette today will increase the odds of you smoking another cigarette tomorrow (And the day after, and so on) - which could a large effect on your health.

Alas, the same cannot be said for voting.

timeless decision theory: if you decide to smoke a cigarette in this situation it is likely that you will decide to smoke a cigarette in all similar situations.