Consider the following scenario. You're in a casino, and a table catches your eye because there are bundles of cash stacked from floor to ceiling behind it. A dozen men in sunglasses and tuxedos and holding double-barrel shotguns stand guard around the money. The dealer smiles as you approach the table, and gestures toward the cash. "This is more money than you can even possibly spend," he explains. "You have a 50/50 chance of winning it. And it costs you nothing to bet." You glance again at the cash, and the sunglassed guards, and your heart leaps with excitement as you prepare to say 'Yes! I'd like to place my bet!' As you are about to utter these words, however, you notice the dealer's hand move to rest upon a shiny pistol tucked in the waistband of his suit.
It is rational for you, at this moment of the story, to walk away from the table.
Some, in fact, might think that walking away from the table is the most rational action for you to perform at this point in the story.
Is this scenario importantly analogous to situations of Pascalian wagering? I tend to think so.
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