Kant distinguishes between autonomous and heteronomous agents. Because Kant is concerned with the nature of moral action, not its consequences, he is not concerned with whether autonomous agents achieve better outcomes than heteronomous agents. But the question of the expected outcomes of the different types of agency is an interesting one to pursue since it is not obvious up front which type of agent would achieve better outcomes. In this paper, we present a game-theoretic examination of four forms of heteronomy (...) and their corresponding forms of autonomy. We show that in one case autonomy achieves the same payoffs as heteronomy and that in three cases autonomy outperforms heteronomy. In the course of our discussion, we find a type of moral agency that comes close to achieving the maximum possible total payoff across all possible dyadic symmetric interactions. Intriguingly, the type of agency involves a synthesis of utilitarianism and deontology. (shrink)

We present a cosmological model (RL+) that offers exact predictions for the Hubble constant, the cosmological constant, the total energy density of the universe, and a curvature that matches current observational constraints. The model predicts a cosmological constant energy density that constitutes approximately 64% of the total energy budget, in agreement with current estimates from the standard LCDM model. Furthermore, the model addresses several longstanding cosmological problems—namely, the problem of infinite initial density, the coincidence problem, and the flatness problem—all with (...) the introduction of a single temporal parameter. (shrink)

The Nash counterfactual considers the question: what would happen were I to change my behaviour assuming no one else does. By contrast, the Kantian counterfactual considers the question: what would happen were everyone to deviate from some behaviour. We present a model that endogenizes the decision to engage in this type of Kantian reasoning. Autonomous agents using this moral framework receive psychic payoffs equivalent to the cooperate-cooperate payoff in Prisoner’s Dilemma regardless of the other player’s action. Moreover, if both interacting (...) agents play Prisoner’s Dilemma using this moral framework, their material outcomes are a Pareto improvement over the Nash equilibrium. (shrink)

In this paper, I present what I call the symmetry conception of God within 1st order, extensional, non-well-founded set theory. The symmetry conception comes in two versions. According to the first, God is that unique being that is universally symmetrical with respect to set membership. According to the second, God is the universally symmetrical set of all sets that are universally symmetrical with respect to set membership. I present a number of theorems, most importantly that any universally symmetrical set is (...) identical to its essence, that show that the two symmetry conceptions intersect with some dominant theological conceptions of God. The theorems also show that both of the symmetry conceptions of God entail that God has a fractal like structure. (shrink)

This paper presents a large-scale simulation study evaluating the relative success of competing moral theories in strategic interactions. Rather than relying on abstract philosophical argumentation, we adopt a game-theoretic framework in which agents governed by distinct moral principles interact across the entire range of symmetric 2-player, 2-strategy, normal form games, including the Prisoner’s Dilemma, Stag Hunt, and Hawk-Dove. We analyze 32 moral theories, including five foundational frameworks—average consequence utilitarianism, Kantian deontology, selfishness, maxi-min, and empathy-based morality—as well as 26 synthesized moralities (...) formed by combining these base theories. Through Monte Carlo simulations, we determine which moral rules yield the highest expected material payoffs, both in homogeneous interactions (where all agents follow the same rule) and in mixed populations that include selfish agents. Our findings reveal that synthesized moralities systematically outperform their foundational counterparts, highlighting the practical advantages of moral autonomy. In particular, the synthesis of utilitarianism and deontology (UD) emerges as the 'optimific champion', achieving the highest payoffs under the assumption of universal adherence. However, in mixed societies where agents must coexist with selfish individuals, a different moral rule, what we call the 'realist’s champion', prevails: the synthesis of deontology and selfishness (SD). These results have significant implications for moral philosophy, challenging the traditional focus on isolated moral theories and suggesting that moral rules are best understood in relation to their interactive success. The study also underscores the essential role of deontology in viable moral syntheses, raising fundamental questions about the evolutionary robustness and practical viability of moral systems. -/- . (shrink)

The traditional problem of free will has reached an impasse; we are unlikely to see progress without rethinking the terms in which the problem had been cast. Our approach offers an alternative to the standard terms of the debate, by developing an authorially parameterized approach articulated within a two-dimensional semantics for temporal predicates.

According to Augustine, abstract objects are ideas in the mind of God. Because numbers are a type of abstract object, it would follow that numbers are ideas in the mind of God. Call such a view the “Augustinian View of Numbers” (AVN). In this paper, I present a formal theory for AVN. The theory stems from the symmetry conception of God as it appears in Studtmann (2021). I show that the theory in Studtmann’s paper can interpret the axioms of Peano (...) Arithmetic minus the induction schema. This fact allows for the development of arithmetic in a natural way. The development eventuates in a theory that can interpret second-order arithmetic. The conception of God that emerges by the end of the discussion is a conception of an infinite, ineffable, self-cause that contains objects that not only serve as numbers but also encode information about each other. (shrink)

We present a game-theoretic analysis of the evolution of moral agency via deontological autonomy. Unlike traditional models that rely on kin selection, reciprocity, punishment, group selection, or assortative matching, our parameter-free approach demonstrates that a “moral conception” of human behavior can emerge endogenously from the strategic dynamics of interactions. We show that deontologically autonomous agents can successfully invade a monomorphic Nashian society and eventually comprise approximately 60% of the population under random matching. We further show that with high enough assortment, (...) deontologically autonomous agents can invade a monomorphic society of Nashians completely. Our unified framework accounts for diverse phenomena including public goods provision, coordination in stag-hunt scenarios, fair splits in Nash bargaining, and reduced aggression in hawk-dove conflicts. (shrink)

In this note, I discuss a very simple time-dependent formula and its relation to the cosmological constant. I first note that the the formula yields an exact match of the cosmological constant on the assumption that the age of the universe is 8.08×10^60 in Planck units. I then suggest a physical interpretation of the formula according to which the cosmological constant is the result of a magnetic field.

The idea that a being can be identical to its own essence has a long and venerable history in theological speculation. As with many ideas in theology, however, such an idea has never been given an adequate mathematical formulation. The key to such a formulation, I argue, is introducing an essence axiom into non-well-founded set theory. According to such an axiom, for every set, x, there is a set that contains all and only those sets that contain x. With such (...) an axiom, it becomes possible to introduce an essence function that takes each set to its essence. An object that is identical to its essence, then, is simply a fixed point of the essence function. In this paper, I first discuss a theorem according to which any fixed point of the essence function is universally symmetrical with respect to the set membership relation. After proving the theorem, I discuss its theological implications. I go on to argue that the process of counting the members of a set that is identical to its essence is a Sisyphusian process. Such a fact I suggest shows that the absurdity of human existence is not alleviated by the existence of God but rather is entailed by it. (shrink)

In The Divine Fractal, Studtmann (2021) introduced a novel conception of God, what he calls the symmetry conception, and showed that such a conception not only can be formalized within extensional non-well-founded set theory but also entails the Thomistic view that God is identical to her essence. In this paper, I show that Studtmann’s symmetry conception of God can be integrated into a recent approach to quantum gravity, namely causal set theory. The theory that results has two significant consequences. First, (...) God is the necessarily existing set of spacetime events. Second, the square root of the probability that a spacetime event randomly chosen from N spacetime events is uncaused is given by the following formula: ((Harmonic [N])/N)^(1/2). I conclude the paper by briefly discussing a connection between this formula and the cosmological constant. (shrink)

This paper revisits the classical use of Nash bargaining to model the social contract by addressing the two central objections of John Rawls: the influence of threat advantage and the multiplicity of bargaining solutions. We introduce an innovative framework that applies an optimific moral rule, termed Pure Strategy Deontarianism (PSD), to the Nash Bargaining Game. PSD is a synthesis of Kantian deontology and utilitarian altruism. By applying PSD to the Nash bargaining game, we demonstrate how rational agents can normatively select (...) maximal disagreement points as rights, thereby equalizing bargaining power and aligning with Rawls’ first principle of justice. Furthermore, we derive the Kantian solution (KS) for surplus division from PSD, and prove that KS satisfies five key axioms of fairness - symmetry, Pareto optimality, scale invariance, strong monotonicity, and contraction consistency. We argue that KS is an ideal solution, since it does not always lie in the feasible set and so serves as an ideal benchmark that practical approximations like the Nash Bargaining Solution can approach. This synthesis not only offers a robust theoretical resolution to Rawls’ objections but also provides a structured methodology for integrating moral considerations into game-theoretic models of justice. (shrink)