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"The authors of the PLoS study noted that when experimenters observed low cooperation rates, the animals had been food deprived. Fully satiated rats, on the ot

by ekanes 17y ago

"The authors of the PLoS study noted that when experimenters observed low cooperation rates, the animals had been food deprived. Fully satiated rats, on the other hand, freely cooperated and easily solved the Prisoner’s Dilemma. These results show that the primordial drive for food in a hungry animal simply clouds judgement." Rather than say "hunger clouds judgement", it's more likely that hunger leads to short-term optimization, and the prisoner's dilemma is all about long-term optimization where you will usually get another chance to cooperate or not. If you're hungry, and you cooperate and get chumped... well you may not eat again. ;)

fnid2 17y ago
Maybe this is why some people who are content with their lives, happy to not constantly need more, feel like we should collaborate more than compete. Those who are greedy and need more, more, more are more typically hard capitalists. Those who have enough are more socialist. I have more than I need and I don't mind sharing. Bill Gates doesn't mind sharing. Warren Buffett doesn't mind sharing. But the bankers who are continuing to take money even when they have billions in the bank lobby congress to make it harder for credit card holders to escape debt with bankruptcy. We've replaced the food hunger with power hunger. There's plenty of food to go around. Plenty of space. But our hunger for money, power, and fame causes irrationally selfish behavior.
- dantheman 17y ago
  I think this is completely wrong. Bill gates and warren buffet don't mind sharing, but they do want you to honor your contracts with them and purchase your goods. Just because they don't lend people money means that they those who cannot afford their goods just don't purchase them. Whereas banks when banks expect you to pay your debts they are "greedy and don't want to share". Also don't forget Buffet is a banker too, how much of goldman sachs and other banks does he own?

by ekanes 17y ago

fnid2 17y ago

Maybe this is why some people who are content with their lives, happy to not constantly need more, feel like we should collaborate more than compete. Those who are greedy and need more, more, more are more typically hard capitalists. Those who have enough are more socialist. I have more than I need and I don't mind sharing. Bill Gates doesn't mind sharing. Warren Buffett doesn't mind sharing. But the bankers who are continuing to take money even when they have billions in the bank lobby congress to make it harder for credit card holders to escape debt with bankruptcy. We've replaced the food hunger with power hunger. There's plenty of food to go around. Plenty of space. But our hunger for money, power, and fame causes irrationally selfish behavior.

dantheman 17y ago
I think this is completely wrong. Bill gates and warren buffet don't mind sharing, but they do want you to honor your contracts with them and purchase your goods. Just because they don't lend people money means that they those who cannot afford their goods just don't purchase them. Whereas banks when banks expect you to pay your debts they are "greedy and don't want to share". Also don't forget Buffet is a banker too, how much of goldman sachs and other banks does he own?