Deep Thought #5

I have positively reinforced myself into an interesting habit of coughing anytime I see someone smoke. I have realized it is my way of audibly telling them that they are killing all of us slowly.

Deep Thought #4

Most recently, my favorite feature on my car has become the horn. Still, I wish there were at least two levels of car horns in my car. One for "You are a terrible driver!" and the other for "You are really a terrible driver!"

Deep Thought #3

I don't think I'll ever be able to vote Democrat for the sole reason that Abraham Lincoln was not one...

Deep Thought #2

Jake Sulley's ikran is the only real loser in the movie....the "lifelong bond" is given up so quickly for the Toruk... Where's the love?

Deep Thought #1

You know I'm shopping at a ritzy Walmart when my parking spot was right beside a lamborghini.

Reward versus Punishment

In this latest paper, which I didn't read word for word, to save time, I found a mathematical construct to display these games, namely a simplex S4 structure, which represent the points of a saddle-like surface to quantify how a certain game evolves. I didn't read all the math but at least I will have a way to perhaps present data if I continue down this path.

The concluding paragraph was most helpful however in that it mentioned that punishment seems to be more effective than rewarding to motivate cooperation. I suppose I will need more support to take that stance but perhaps on the outset, we as humans are more willing to avoid punishment than receive rewards. I've vocally discussed this idea with many others but it falls into place with my own theory of levels/reasons of obedience.

Lastly, reputation was essential for either reward or punishment to be effective. I agree. Without some sort of knowledge about our biases, feelings, history, record, there is no possible way to really deal with each other in any sort of rational way. I suppose a lot of quotes would be pertinent right now about how one's reputation really is one of the most valuable things one can have.

Reference:
Sigmund, K.; Hauert, C. & Nowak, M. "Reward and Punishment" PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, NATL ACAD SCIENCES, 2001, 98, 10757-10762