[Scotch78]

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Scotch: I hope my clarification helped. Can you now explain why you think the Prisoner in the dilemma is acting altruistically by cooperating?

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I don't. When I said that the prisoner's dilemma requires altruism, I meant that choosing to cooperate from altruism is the theoretical solution to the dilemma, not that the prisoner is being altruistic because he cooperated. If acting altruistically is A and cooperating is B, then I am saying "A therefore B" and (I think) you are hearing "B therefore A".

As to why altruism solves the dilemma . . . let's assume that I am acting from self-interest, and that my interest is to avoid jail. By cooperating, I retain the possibility for minimum punishment, but by confessing I prevent the possibility of maximum punishment. The 'dilemma' arises because I want both but can only choose one.

Now, let's assume that I am acting from altruism, that I want you to serve as little time in jail as possible. By cooperating, I both retain the possibility for you to serve the minimum and prevent the possibility of you serving the maximum. I can effectively exercise my will now. Furthermore, if you also act from altruistic motives, then minimum jail time for both of us is insured. However, if one or both of us acts from self-interest, then the outcome is uncertain and a dilemma arises.

Scott