C O O P E R A T I O N   7

The Implications of Tit for Tat

What if anything does this mean for actual human interactions? There is a strong suggestion that the behaviors that elicit cooperation in this restricted world of the Prisoner's Dilemma do indeed carry over to our real world.

One finding particularly worthy of note was the evidence that too much forgiveness actually works against the evolution of cooperation. The notion of "tolerance" so trendy today turns out to be an invitation to defection, rather than the means to a better society as its proponents claim. While being "nice" is necessary to evoke cooperation in others, it's not enough. Defection requires a response.

This applies as well to criminal justice. There is a vocal minority today calling for a reduced emphasis on incarceration as societal retribution, and a commensurate greater attention given to rehabilitation. Without disputing the goodness of the impulse, the success of Tit for Tat suggests that it's a bad idea. If an individual member of a society defects (commits a crime), that defection should provoke an immediate retaliation from society. Not an overreaction, but some equivalent reaction nonetheless appears necessary in order to elicit future cooperation from that individual, and to demonstrate to other players the value of cooperation and the price of defection.

"An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth" may be the best policy after all.

Next:

The Future of Cooperation

The Implications of Tit for Tat

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