How can I beat my clone in Prisoner's Dilemma?
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My (magical) clone and I reason the same way, and unless there is information one of us does not know, we have the same thoughts. Neither of us knows who is the clone. Maybe I'm actually the clone. But the question stands: how do I win in Prisoner's dilemma? What are the best strategies for single pass and iterative? Further thoughts: Would it depend on how much I understood about myself? Does it matter whether my clone gets the same external help from Quorians? Edit: Without distinctive information, the assumption is that we think the same. So to clarify, the question really has two parts: Is there any way to "trick" my clone so that even with the same thought processes I can win? - the answer to this one is probably no because we would be in equilibrium, although clever, funny ideas are fine Would external information and strategic thinking that I did not come up with by myself (i.e., Quora help) allow me to break out of equilibrium and beat my clone? Related:
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Answer:
Write down the possible strategies that you can imagine. Every possible strategy. Even things like making peace and betrayal. Now get a semi random result... Write them down and dig one out of a hat. It is unlikely your clone would get the exact same result if the papers are mixed well by shaking and such. Use the strategy that is dictated by the random result. You may want to also pull out a second random strategy you will switch to if the first one fails. Think about this strategy and plan out exactly how you would best execute it. Alternatively you could surrender and agree to help each other get out.
Ariel Williams at Quora Visit the source
Other answers
If your goal is to maximize personal utility, Cooperate. By symmetry, your clone will do the same thing. If your goal is to "beat" your clone by having a higher ending score than him/her, then you've already lost.
Linchuan Zhang
If you're guaranteed that the other player will play the same strategy as you, then there are only two possible outcomes: Both defect, which is the worst possible outcome for both of you. Both cooperate, which is the best possible outcome for both of you. Since you're choosing between the best and worst possible outcomes, there's really no reason to pick the worst. Cooperate all the time and you'll be as happy as possible. The difficulty that you're having is that you're looking to win, when your goal as a rational agent is to maximize your expected utility. In a zero-sum game those are the same goals, but in this one they're not. That's a crucial difference that makes zero-sum thinking fail badly.
Justin Rising
Perhaps the question is nonsensical---not in the sense that you are the same as your clone (experience makes you divergent), but in the sense that the goal shouldn't be to outscore one participant, but rather to achieve the highest total value over the iterated PD's you "play" with everyone. The idea of "winning each match" is exactly what keeps us from formulating collective action solutions to PD problems. Sure, competition may be ingrained in our DNA, which is (perhaps) why PD's exist. That doesn't mean we can't hack the "game". Sometimes we find ways to do so, and we should strive to do so since PD's are the toughest "monkey wrench" in basic game theoretic situations.
Mathew Crawford
You cannot, you are the same and you have no distinctive information what-so-ever. So, whatever you come up with, he will think that too. This competition's conclusion depends on whether you both are smart enough to think that you cannot beat each other or not. But you asked this question, it looks like you would not. Again, there will be an equilibrium for you guys, which will not bare you as the winner.
Mustafa Ãzçiçek
you can't. Your best bet is to betray him. his best bet is to betray you. and you both go to jail for a long time. http://greglondon.com/RunawayTrainCarneyGame/index.htm
Greg London
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