I'm not sure what you were trying to say. Real life is not a computer model. It isn't perfect. There are numerous outcomes to a choice. There are no guarantees of perfect operation of the rules in any situation whether you have a government or an anarchy. I just thought it was interesting to contemplate the principles exposed by the simple experiment. In fact, when the experiment was extended to multiple rounds, a player could "lose" a round but might still end up winning in the end. Even there, perfection is not expected.
Ed$ --- In Libertarian@yahoogroups.com, Chris Edes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > In the computer model, people could only lose money by cooperating and > getting cheated. If they chose not to participate, their monetary > balance remained stable. In real life, "agents" have to spend money on > food and other necessities. They can't choose not to participate for > long periods. So, in fact, participation is mandatory and cannot be > otherwise. > > Also, in the simulation, the punishers always beat the cheaters, > although the incurred a small penalty. In real life, the good guys > don't always win. > > Chris > > > Ooo! Cool! This struck a chord. Here's some links. > > > > http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/8706/title/Math_Trek__Free_Choice_%2B_Punishment_%3D_Cooperation > > > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner's_dilemma > > > > This is sort of like what you are discussing. If I read this correctly > > there actually is a case to be made for anarchic situations working > > (Science News). Note the article title. "Free Choice + Punishment = > > Cooperation". Cool. > > > > Also, note the Wiki article (and I think there was an SN article about > > this as well but I can't find it). Basically, the "tit for tat" with > > modest "forgiveness" seems to work really well. I don't know game > > theory but this is really interesting. And compelling. > > > > Ed$ > > > > > > --- In Libertarian@yahoogroups.com, Jon Roland <jon.roland@> wrote: > > > >> In the computer simulations done so far there are no "organizations" > >> among the "agents" whereby they coordinate their efforts and pursue a > >> joint strategy. It is just a bunch of unorganized individuals each > >> responding to each other individual based on his memory of the move > >> > > made > > > >> by the other in their last encounter, or last few encounters. So the > >> enforcement responses are also individual, and uncoordinated. In that > >> sense it is very much like the anarchic models being advocated by some > >> on this forum. The point is that such models exhibit a vulnerability of > >> cooperators to defectors that resists most individual corrective > >> > > responses. > > > >> Such simulation modeling actually does demonstrate why anarchy won't > >> "work", and how historic attempts at maintaining it have failed to do > >> so. It is not a defect of human nature, but an unpleasant result of > >> mathematics itself, if we include game theory. > >> > >> The Universe is not organized for our comfort and convenience. The laws > >> of physics and mathematics allow us to (barely) exist for a time, but > >> ultimately defeat our dreams of a perfect social or political order. > >> > >> The three laws of thermodynamics (paraphrased): > >> 1. You can't win. > >> 2. You can't even break even. > >> 3. Don't even try. > >> > >> > >> ma ni wrote: > >> > >>> Jon, > >>> > >>> I like your comparison to other social animals, but what part of > >>> it comprises "government": the "defectors/cheaters/criminals" or > >>> "others [who] take action to punish them"? > >>> > >>> > >> -- Jon > >> > >> ------------------------------------------------------------------- > >> Constitution Society 2900 W Anderson Ln C-200-322, Austin, TX 78757 > >> 512/299-5001 www.constitution.org jon.roland@ > >> ------------------------------------------------------------------- > >> > >> > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > > > ForumWebSiteAt http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Libertarian Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >
