

Zero-Determinant Strategies in the Iterated Prisoner’s Dilemma - adulau
http://golem.ph.utexas.edu/category/2012/07/zerodeterminant_strategies_in.html

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Strilanc
This result doesn't seem all that impressive. In the end it's just an example
of the advantage of being able to pre-commit to a strategy. The linear algebra
parts are entirely unnecessary (although interesting).

For example, suppose we're playing the iterated prisoner's dilemma. I pre-
commit to a strategy: if you've defected in the last 5 games I will always
defect, otherwise I will defect unless I haven't cooperated in the last 4
games. In this situation your optimal strategy is to always cooperate, even
though I'm taking advantage of you. Punishing me won't change my strategy,
I've pre-committed to it. The rational strategy, and the one evolution would
eventually settle on, is to always cooperate with me.

I think the main thing that bothers me is how the result is characterized as
"theory of mind" beating evolution. As if evolution couldn't stumble on such
simple strategies, and pre-commitment had no cost or associated risk of going
extinct.

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jasonwatkinspdx
How many links must we endure on this topic? People who care will research it
and understand what the result is and isn't.

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onli
This is the first article i've seen that tries to explain the topic. It also
is rather deep in not only explaining the paper in question (in a good way, i
think), but also comparing it with work of Stewart and Plotkin.

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jasonwatkinspdx
This article was linked repeatedly in the comments of the prior posts. But
hey, whatever, down vote me to oblivion, about what I've come to expect around
here. Sorry for sounding like a dick but I really am sad about how
meaningfulness has decayed around here. People expect opinions to be spoon fed
to them easily, that's not how it used to be.

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onli
I didnt vote you down.

That the article was linked in comments is just another indicator it should be
submitted.

