In a message dated 4/8/98 5:21:18 PM, hal@rain.org wrote:
>Does this work though even in situations where you can't communicate
>your commitment? It would seem that there is no benefit to sticking to
>your policy when faced with the actual offer, given that it's a one shot
>game
It's not rational for you, but it can be rational for a gene or meme
that can influence you to make that commitment. Said gene or meme
faces an ongoing game, even if you don't.
Also keep in mind that it's hard to really be sure the results of
your action won't get communicated somehow.
Another point,
particularly relevant to one-shot games, is that humans are to
a great extent creatures of habit and pattern. We don't rationally
analyze every situation that comes our way; we don't have the time
or brainpower. When faced with a one-shot game, most people probably
don't sit down and calculate the outcomes - they probably just use
their standard choice preferences, which would be geared for
ongoing games.
Received on Thu Apr 9 01:29:08 1998
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