Would you bet your life on a coin toss?

In My Humble Opinion
1

You’ll often hear, “I’d bet my life on it,” in regards to a guaranteed event; however, is that really what it would take to wager your life?

Here’s the hypothetical. His Raggedness the Grim Reaper wants to gamble with you using a coin. Heads, he takes your life right now, and you die instantly and painlessly. Tails, he takes a perfect snapshot of your current physical state. When you do die, he will restore you to this state, giving you a “second life” based on your age, but you’ll retain all knowledge and memories you’ve accrued since the bet.

While you ponder, GR decides to sweeten the deal in your favor: if the coin lands heads up, he’ll spare you and toss the coin one more time. If the second toss is also heads, then he will take your life.

That’s the deal. Do you take it, or do you tell Reaps to shove off and pester the other mortals?

You may assume the coin is perfectly fair, so heads and tails each have a 50% chance—no tricks.

2

So you really have a 75% chance of living and a 50% chance of living twice. This is a tough one. I’d probably do it, assuming my kids get the life insurance proceeds if I die. Then again, it’s easy to say it but minds sometimes change when the offer becomes reality.

3

No, not unless the terms were better, my back has major problems, and what if I only had a few more months to live?

4

Do I have a coin with two tails? What happens if the coin lands edge-on?

I’m probably meta-gaming but the fact that I’m meeting the Grim Reaper probably means that my life is up anyway, so even if the coin were to come up tails, I’d die almost immediately, but twice.

5

Dying immediately and painlessly is better than what I actually expect is going to happen to me.

On the other hand, living twice isn’t that much of an enticement. Offer me fifty years of good health, and you’re on.

6

In my twenties, I would not have taken the gamble. Too much to lose, too much I haven’t done, seen, or achieved.

In my sixties, however, I’ve experienced much of life. If I can turn 10-20 years into 20-40, I think it’d be worthwhile. I’d also feel somewhat invincible in that, if a freak accident were to off me, I’d have one “backup” me waiting.

Not to mention, I can choose to convert that life into cash. I could get serious money if I played my cards right and showed off my “reincarnation” ability to the right people! I’d just have to be careful no one gets any cute ideas and tries to kill me after the first death.

This assumes I win the bet, of course . . .

7

Dying an instantaneous, painless death is more appealing that living twice. I’m honestly a little bit tired of living once.