Comments on: Playing Nice Can Payoff—An Iterated Prisoner’s Dilemma http://nsdl.library.cornell.edu/websites/expertvoices/info2040/archives/2632 This is a supplemental blog for a course which will cover how the social, technological, and natural worlds are connected, and how the study of networks sheds light on these connections. Fri, 08 Mar 2013 14:24:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: lepidoptera http://nsdl.library.cornell.edu/websites/expertvoices/info2040/archives/2632#comment-1503 lepidoptera Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:54:29 +0000 http://nsdl.library.cornell.edu/websites/expertvoices/info2040/archives/2632#comment-1503 I think the article misses a key point here. The paper published is a negative result (and a repeat of prior negative results). One of the big problems in game theory now is trying to understand punishment. It's obvious that punishment occurs. However, being the punisher does not seem to be a NE strategy for an individual. So why do people do it? This, like many other games, shows that individuals shouldn't punish-- still leaving us with the question of why it happens. (I'm rather surprised this made Nature, since this is pretty well known already). I think the article misses a key point here. The paper published is a negative result (and a repeat of prior negative results).

One of the big problems in game theory now is trying to understand punishment. It’s obvious that punishment occurs. However, being the punisher does not seem to be a NE strategy for an individual. So why do people do it? This, like many other games, shows that individuals shouldn’t punish– still leaving us with the question of why it happens.

(I’m rather surprised this made Nature, since this is pretty well known already).

]]>