[extropy-chat] Superrationality

[spike]

> bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of Lee Corbin
...
> I wrote "I am submitting ____ votes.", and then filled in, in red
> pen, the numeral 0...

Woohoo!  Good deal, Lee, and I'm glad to see you posting again.  Do continue
in like fashion.

I too thought it over and didn't enter, but didn't really have the
super-rationality thing mastered yet.  I might not have been able to afford
a stamp in those days.

...
> As to superrationality, several years later I defected away from
> the superrational camp. My reasoning: if you know the other person
> is going to cooperate, then according to the table, you must defect...Lee

Hofstadter's last SciAm article was (perhaps unintentionally) hilarious.  

He sent the PD game to 22 of his smartest and most Hofstadter-like
acquaintances, with the instructions to think it over carefully, then in
about a week he would call and get their responses.  Hoping for
approximately 90% cooperators, he was terribly discouraged with only one to
go, he had 13 defectors and 8 cooperators.  

The last call was to the one person he was most sure would cooperate.
Hofstadter's magnanimous friend said something like "With only the
information you have given me, I would have to defect."  Hofstadter then
told him his defection made it 14 defectors to 8 cooperators.  His friend
reacted with outraged righteous indignation, ending with "I am really
disappointed in your friends, Doug."

With that comment I nearly wet my diapers.  I put the magazine down and
laughed uncontrollably for several minutes.  I was in the college library at
the time.  Word got around.  No one would talk to me.

spike