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abhattacha's picture

PLAYING PRISONER'S DILEMMA

I. COOPERATING RIGHT THROUGH - 12 rounds

  No.of gold coins - Me 36

                             Serendip 36

  Av. no. of coins  - Me 3.00

                             Serendip 3.00

 

II. COMPETING RIGHT THROUGH - 10 rounds

   No. - me 14

           ser. 9

    Av. - me 1.40

            ser. 0.90

BUT FLIRTING WITH AN INCONCEIVABLY FOUL FATE THE WHOLE TIME

 

III. COOPERATING AND COMPETING ALTERNATELY - 10 rounds

   No. - me 28

           ser. 23

   Av. - me 2.80

           ser. 2.30

 

IV. COMPETING AND COOPERATING ALTERNATELY - 15 rounds

    No. - me 40

            ser. 35

    Av. - me 2.67

            ser. 2.33

 

V. COOP 5 rounds , COMP 5 rounds , COOP 1 round -11 rounds

       No. - both 24

       Av. - both 2.18

 

VI. COMP 5 rounds , COOP 5 rounds - 10 rounds

        No. - both 21

        Av. - both 2.10

 

MORALS -

I. BEST TO COOPERATE - WIN-WIN SITUATION + PEACE OF MIND

II. A CUT-THROAT STRATEGY IS BAD NEWS - MODEST WINS + PLAYING WITH FIRE. 

III. & IV. - MIXING STRATEGIES WORKS WELL , PARTICULARLY IF START OFF COMPETING .

V. & VI. - CHANGING HORSES MID-STREAM NOT AS PROFITABLE .

 

Being part of the two - member School Debate Team taught me the important lesson that a win-win situation always works best .

Working together to prepare  both a strong proposition and opposition gave us wins through the preliminary rounds to the finals of the Inter-School Debating Championships . We learnt from the many strong teams which fell by the wayside even though , very often , one of the team members won the Best Debater Award in that round . 

We reached the finals and won ; and guess what ? Both of us jointly won the Overall Best Debater Award !  

 

 

 

 

 

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