Harry Pollard wrote, > > The kids read (approximately) : "Bill helps Joe all the time. He helps Joe > > with his house, with his harvest, with his children. Joe never helps Bill > > with his harvest or anything else. Who has a better chance of surviving > > the winter."
My guess would be Bill. There isn't enough information in this vignette to say for certain, but I assume you mean "ceteris paribus". To be realistic, the ceteris would have paribus prior to doing the helping. Performing the acts of help would add to Bill's cultural knowledge, psychological state, social standing and physical fitness. Receiving the help would contribute to the condition of Joe's house, the quantity of his supplies and the character and well-being of his children. Just to add a handicap to Bill, let's also assume that Joe's children are too young to reciprocate. Joe may have more of a surplus of the obvious to deal with the foreseeable, while Bill has acquired more capacity to deal with the unforeseen. Bill has the bettter chance of surviving the winter.
