a number of solutions have been put forward. careful analyses have been made by some logicians. though solutions differ, they all pinpoint semantic issues concerned with counterfactual reasoning. we want to compare the amount that we would gain by switching if we would gain by switching, with the amount we would lose by switching if we would indeed lose by switching. however, we cannot both gain and lose by switching at the same time. we are asked to compare two incompatible situations. only one of them can factually occur, the other is a counterfactual situation—somehow imaginary. to compare them at all, we must somehow "align" the two situations, providing some definite points in common.