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Prisoner’s dilemma: Difference between revisions
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===The original dilemma=== | ===The original dilemma=== | ||
Two people are 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. They cannot communicate. There is enough evidence to convict both on a lesser charge, but not the main charge. Each prisoner is separately offered the same plea bargain. The offer is: | Two people are 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. They cannot communicate. There is enough evidence to convict both on a lesser charge, but not the main charge. Each prisoner is separately offered the same plea bargain. The offer is: | ||
*If A informs B but B refuses to inform on A: | {{prisonersdilemmatable}}*If A informs B but B refuses to inform on A: | ||
**A will not be prosecuted at all and will go free | **A will not be prosecuted at all and will go free | ||
**B will be convicted of the main charge and will get '''3''' years in prison. | **B will be convicted of the main charge and will get '''3''' years in prison. | ||
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**A will get 1 year in prison (on the lesser charge). | **A will get 1 year in prison (on the lesser charge). | ||
**B will get 1 year in prison (on the lesser charge). | **B will get 1 year in prison (on the lesser charge). | ||
Another way of looking at this, for those easily triggered, is as the [[eBayer’s dilemma]]. | Another way of looking at this, for those easily triggered, is as the [[eBayer’s dilemma]]. | ||
===Single round prisoner’s dilemma=== | ===[[Single round prisoner’s dilemma]]=== | ||
If you play the game once, and in isolation — with someone you don’t know and whom you do not expect to meet again, the payoff is grim: those who cooperate will get ''reamed''. Cooperation is a bad strategy. Your best interest is in defecting on the other guy, because ''his'' best interest is defecting on ''you''. | If you play the game once, and in isolation — with someone you don’t know and whom you do not expect to meet again, the payoff is grim: those who cooperate will get ''reamed''. Cooperation is a bad strategy. Your best interest is in defecting on the other guy, because ''his'' best interest is defecting on ''you''. | ||