this post was submitted on 03 Jan 2024
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[–] [email protected] 82 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Friendly reminder that cooperation is mutually beneficial and the mathematical solution to the prisoner's dilemma is to cooperate but not be a pushover.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 8 months ago (3 children)

That fungus would eat the tree if it had the abiliry

[–] [email protected] 26 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Don't ascribe motivations to biological processes.

That fungus wouldn't eat the tree because it doesn't eat the tree. There are tree eating fungi but that is not one of them.

That fungus is proof of cooperation being mutually beneficial and evidence of how "altruism" works out in favor of the cooperators.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (2 children)

There are tree eating fungi but that is not one of them.

Based on what?

According to my quick research, symbiotic fungus doesn't fruit unless the tree is in trouble. That tree seems fine, so then the fungus probably isn't good for the tree

[–] [email protected] 12 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Where on earth are you researching to come to that conclusion? Mushrooms overwhelmingly fruit based on climatic conditions. If the weather is right, they fruit. And it is well established that mycorrhizal fungi are good for the trees and other plants they have symbiotic relationships with, which is why fungal inoculation is becoming increasingly popular. It's also why they are called symbiotic, and not parasitic.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)
[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

I think you're right

[–] [email protected] 20 points 8 months ago

Don't kid yourself Jimmy. If a cow ever got the chance, he'd eat you and everyone you care about.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

Your dog would kill you in a heartbeat if he thought he could

Which is unfortunate, since you would also slaughter your dog if you ever realize you can

Oh gods, no.... What have I done?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I mean, yeah?

I'm sure if I slipped and died in the shower my cats would eat me, and I'd eat them if it was between that and starvation

[–] [email protected] 8 points 8 months ago (2 children)

So why isn't that happening?
Are you letting a free meal loiter your hallways?

[–] [email protected] 14 points 8 months ago

Killing the emergency rations now means they won't be fresh in an emergency!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago
[–] [email protected] 13 points 8 months ago (1 children)

The mathematical solution to the prisoners dilemma depends on how the variables are framed. The standard values are chosen to represent your point and so don't provide evidence of anything.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

In the sense of the values awarded for cooperation vs competition? Sure it's an approximation but that doesn't mean it's arbitrary. The entire point is to explore the nature of altruistic behavior, which we know exists. We know there are deer who groom each other even though it is in each deer's best interest to be groomed but not groom in turn. There is a larger benefit to betrayal than to cooperation but a cost associated with everyone acting selfishly.

The prisoner's dilemma is a model of reality. Sure you can insert numbers that make it work in reverse but it's as valid as saying gravity is 4m/s² proves that I won't die by jumping off this building.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (2 children)

In any form it's fundamentally misleading as a model.

Even if we were to accept that the dilemma proves the value of universal cooperation, achieving that outcome would create the most fertile environment for exploitation. When everyone is trusting, that's the best time to lie.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

Hence backbone.

The best strategy is cooperation... with backbone.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Your ignorance of the solution is on full display, and you should probably go look up what the solution is before you act like you know what you're talking about.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

My students will be so disappointed to learn of my ignorance when I cover that topic this year. I'll have to get your input on my lesson plans. 😏

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago

It's a university