Game Theory in Nature :: essays research papers

Game Theory in NatureBiologists observe that animals and sluice lower organisms often behave altruistically. Such behavior is obviously beneficial for the species as a whole. Although it is difficult to measure how an animals altruistic deportment affects its chances for survival and reproduction, theoretical research is starting to fill in the picture of how cooperation may survive natural selection. Some of the most illuminating ideas are feeler from game theory, the field of mathematics that studies strategic behavior in competitive situations.For decades, game theorists basic paradigm for the puzzle of cooperation has been the scenario called the prisoners dilemma, in which each player has a powerful incentive to exploit the another(prenominal). The game is set up so that cooperation is best for the group, but each player individually does better by winning advantage of the other.TIT FOR TAT Things look rosier for cooperation in situations where a participant plays the pri soners dilemma repeatedly with the same opponent and learns from previous games. After all, it can be risky to exploit someone you know youre going to encounter again.A player using the tit-for-tat strategy cooperates in the first round and then in each subsequent round mimics the opponents behavior in the previous round. In a population containing a mix of defectors and tit-for-tat players, the latter generally do better, provided thither are enough of them. When they meet another tit-for-tat player, both cooperate and get a high payoff. When they meet a defector, they get suckered once, but only once. If repeatedly losing the game translates into low fitness, often the defectors do so poorly that they yettually die out, leaving an entirely cooperative population.Ultimately, a better understanding of the interplay in the midst of cooperation and exploitation could help explain the emergence not just of cooperation but also of life itself. After all, life owes its origins to prime val acts of inanimate cooperation, in which RNA, proteins, and other molecules banded together to form cells.Game Theory in Nature essays research papers Game Theory in NatureBiologists observe that animals and even lower organisms often behave altruistically. Such behavior is obviously beneficial for the species as a whole. Although it is difficult to measure how an animals altruistic behaviour affects its chances for survival and reproduction, theoretical research is starting to fill in the picture of how cooperation may survive natural selection. Some of the most illuminating ideas are advent from game theory, the field of mathematics that studies strategic behavior in competitive situations.For decades, game theorists basic paradigm for the puzzle of cooperation has been the scenario called the prisoners dilemma, in which each player has a powerful incentive to exploit the other. The game is set up so that cooperation is best for the group, but each player individually does better by winning advantage of the other.TIT FOR TAT Things look rosier for cooperation in situations where a participant plays the prisoners dilemma repeatedly with the same opponent and learns from previous games. After all, it can be risky to exploit someone you know youre going to encounter again.A player using the tit-for-tat strategy cooperates in the first round and then in each subsequent round mimics the opponents behavior in the previous round. In a population containing a mix of defectors and tit-for-tat players, the latter generally do better, provided there are enough of them. When they meet another tit-for-tat player, both cooperate and get a high payoff. When they meet a defector, they get suckered once, but only once. If repeatedly losing the game translates into low fitness, often the defectors do so poorly that they eventually die out, leaving an entirely cooperative population.Ultimately, a better understanding of the interplay surrounded by cooperation and ex ploitation could help explain the emergence not just of cooperation but also of life itself. After all, life owes its origins to primeval acts of inanimate cooperation, in which RNA, proteins, and other molecules banded together to form cells.