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Amwelladmin (talk | contribs) (Created page with "an exercise in calculating economic outcomes by means of metaphor. Two people are arrested and charged with a conspiracy<ref>Whether or not they are guilty is beside the poin...") |
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An exercise in calculating economic outcomes by means of {{tag|metaphor}}. | |||
Two people are arrested and charged with a conspiracy<ref>Whether or not they are guilty is beside the point. If it helps you empathise with their predicament, assume they’re innocent</ref>. Each | Two people are arrested and charged with a conspiracy<ref>Whether or not they are guilty is beside the point. If it helps you empathise with their predicament, assume they’re innocent</ref>. Each is held separately in solitary confinement. The two cannot communicate. The authorities have enough evidence to convict both on a lesser charge, but not the main charge. The authorities go to each prisoner separately and offer each the same bargain if she agrees to inform on her co-conspirator. The offer is: | ||
*If A and B | *If A informs B but B refuses to inform on A: | ||
*If A | **A will not be prosecuted on the lesser charge and will go free | ||
* | **B will be prosecuted on the main charge and serve a '''three''' year sentence | ||
*If A informs B ''and'' B informs on A: | |||
**A will serve a two year sentence | |||
**B will serve a two year sentence | |||
*If A refuses to inform on B and B refuses to inform on A: | |||
**A will serve a one year sentence (on the lesser charge). | |||
**B will serve a one year sentence (on the lesser charge). |