Moral Dillemma #1 of 6 [edited due to mistake in phrasing]
You and a friend are arrested by the police. The police have sufficient evidence to convict only one of you, and having separated both of you, visit each of you to offer the same deal:
If you testify for the prosecution against your friend and your friend remains silent, you will go free and your friend receives the full 10-year sentence. If both parties stay silent, both prisoners are convicted and sentenced for 8 months on a minor charge. If each betrays the other, each receives a four-year reduced sentence.
Each prisoner must make the choice of whether to betray the other or to remain silent. However, neither prisoner knows for sure what choice the other prisoner will make.
Which choice would you make?
If you testify for the prosecution against your friend and your friend remains silent, you will go free and your friend receives the full 10-year sentence. If both parties stay silent, both prisoners are convicted and sentenced for 8 months on a minor charge. If each betrays the other, each receives a four-year reduced sentence.
Each prisoner must make the choice of whether to betray the other or to remain silent. However, neither prisoner knows for sure what choice the other prisoner will make.
Which choice would you make?