Comment on Rationality is Systematized Winning

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:33:21 GMT

No. The point is that you actually want to survive more than you want to win, so if you are rational about Chicken you will sometimes lose (consult your model for details). Given your preferences, there will always be some distance \epsilon before the cliff where it is rational for you to give up.

Therefore, under these assumptions, the strategy "win or die trying" seemingly requires you to be irrational. However, if you can credibly commit to this strategy -- be the kind of person who will win or die trying -- you will beat a rational player every time.

This is a case where it is rational to have an irrational disposition, a disposition other than doing what is rational at every margin.

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