Put your money where your BRAIN is: how money could be used to help weigh the validity of a belief

This function will add points to conclusions that have money invested in them or their supporting arguments, and subtract points from conclusions that tend to have money invested against them.

Why do this? Because Vegas understands the relative strength of football team. Wall Street understands the relative strength of each company, and Intrade will tell you which president will win. Why don't we use “markets” to tell us the relative strength of each argument, before we make life or death decision in the Middle East?  Why do we have more processing power dedicated to analyzing football games than we do life or death problems?

Below is an explanation of the terms in my equation. I would love input!

My equation in words:

My equation in math:

• M_an/n: When n is 1, this equation will add all the money invested in a belief. When n is equal to 2 it will take the money invested in arguments that support the belief, divides it by 2, adds that to the conclusion score. Money invested in a belief, +1/2 the money invested in beliefs that agree with this belief, etc – Money invested against this belief, -1/2 the money invested in beliefs that disagree with this belief, etc
• M_dn/n: This equation does the same as above but subtracts the total amount of money invested in arguments that disagree with it.
• TM = Total Money invested in the forum
• #B = number of beliefs
• The average amount of money invested in an idea = TM / #B. The goal of this idea is to assign 1 point for the average belief, and 2 points for a belief that has twice the average amount of money invested.
• The assumption is that people would be able to purchase “stock” in a belief at its idea score. They would purchase it assuming that the idea score was going to go up. We would have to set the transaction fee high enough, to ensure that we don’t lose money, and only smart people are making money. We would also only sell stock in relatively stable ideas. 

The code for an application of my equation in SQL: 

Coming soon! As soon as I learn SQL... Please help by contributing to my open source google project: http://code.google.com/p/ideastockexchange/

Your equation in math:

Do you have a better equation that would use people's aversion to part with their money, that would promote good arguments, and beliefs? Leave a comment, or a link, and I will link to your project. I don't need the credit, I just don't want to live in a world of non-structured beliefs, and conclusions that people don't even try to support in an intelligent manor. Is money the answer? No, but it could help people try to really evaluate the true strength of a conclusion, if they felt that that conclusion would go up in value based on its truth strength... Do you disagree? Leave a comment. 

Put your money where your BRAIN is: how money could be used to help weigh the validity of a belief

This function will add points to conclusions that have money invested in them or their supporting arguments, and subtract points from conclusions that tend to have money invested against them.

Why do this? Because Vegas understands the relative strength of football team. Wall Street understands the relative strength of each company, and Intrade will tell you which president will win. Why don't we use “markets” to tell us the relative strength of each argument, before we make life or death decision in the Middle East?  Why do we have more processing power dedicated to analyzing football games than we do life or death problems?

Below is an explanation of the terms in my equation. I would love input!

My equation in words:

My equation in math:

• M_an/n: When n is 1, this equation will add all the money invested in a belief. When n is equal to 2 it will take the money invested in arguments that support the belief, divides it by 2, adds that to the conclusion score. Money invested in a belief, +1/2 the money invested in beliefs that agree with this belief, etc – Money invested against this belief, -1/2 the money invested in beliefs that disagree with this belief, etc
• M_dn/n: This equation does the same as above but subtracts the total amount of money invested in arguments that disagree with it.
• TM = Total Money invested in the forum
• #B = number of beliefs
• The average amount of money invested in an idea = TM / #B. The goal of this idea is to assign 1 point for the average belief, and 2 points for a belief that has twice the average amount of money invested.
• The assumption is that people would be able to purchase “stock” in a belief at its idea score. They would purchase it assuming that the idea score was going to go up. We would have to set the transaction fee high enough, to ensure that we don’t lose money, and only smart people are making money. We would also only sell stock in relatively stable ideas. 

The code for an application of my equation in SQL: 

Coming soon! As soon as I learn SQL... Please help by contributing to my open source google project: http://code.google.com/p/ideastockexchange/

Your equation in math:

Do you have a better equation that would use people's aversion to part with their money, that would promote good arguments, and beliefs? Leave a comment, or a link, and I will link to your project. I don't need the credit, I just don't want to live in a world of non-structured beliefs, and conclusions that people don't even try to support in an intelligent manor. Is money the answer? No, but it could help people try to really evaluate the true strength of a conclusion, if they felt that that conclusion would go up in value based on its truth strength... Do you disagree? Leave a comment.