03-28-2003, 04:49 PM
Hi,
. . . that's not what I found interesting.
I agree that cheating discussions are fun but ultimately pointless. However, I didn't post the link to get a cheating discussion going. More in the spirit of "Hey, we've arrived!" ;) When the NY Times considers a topic worthy of its "All the news that fits, we print" (I might have that slightly wrong ;) ) guideline, you know that topic has become mainstream :)
Oh, and BTW, studies in game theory indicate that, under certain conditions, "cheating" (i.e., not cooperating) is a viable short term strategy. However, it tends to change the conditions in such a way that cheaters are no longer rewarded and co-operation is the best long range strategy. At present, AFAIK, those statements are conjectures based on observation, computer models, and the "gut feel" of mathematicians. They haven't been proven yet. But at least the first few halting steps along the path of an ethical system based on reason have been taken, and it seems to agree, more or less in the few places where it can be compared at all, with the bulk of traditional morality. So, discussions of cheating can be somewhat educational as well as entertaining, but to do so they rapidly go beyond what the average forum poster in the average forum can understand.
--Pete
. . . that's not what I found interesting.
I agree that cheating discussions are fun but ultimately pointless. However, I didn't post the link to get a cheating discussion going. More in the spirit of "Hey, we've arrived!" ;) When the NY Times considers a topic worthy of its "All the news that fits, we print" (I might have that slightly wrong ;) ) guideline, you know that topic has become mainstream :)
Oh, and BTW, studies in game theory indicate that, under certain conditions, "cheating" (i.e., not cooperating) is a viable short term strategy. However, it tends to change the conditions in such a way that cheaters are no longer rewarded and co-operation is the best long range strategy. At present, AFAIK, those statements are conjectures based on observation, computer models, and the "gut feel" of mathematicians. They haven't been proven yet. But at least the first few halting steps along the path of an ethical system based on reason have been taken, and it seems to agree, more or less in the few places where it can be compared at all, with the bulk of traditional morality. So, discussions of cheating can be somewhat educational as well as entertaining, but to do so they rapidly go beyond what the average forum poster in the average forum can understand.
--Pete
How big was the aquarium in Noah's ark?