Morally Neutral Form
The Prisoner's Dilemma in the Classroom

National Endowment for the Humanities Seminar
Saddleback College
Summer 1997

This page provides Robert Axelrod's morally neutral description of the Prisoner's Dilemma in normal form, to assist either in explaining or in simulating the game during class, as discussed on the Prisoner's Dilemma page.

Game Theory in the Classroom
The Prisoner's Dilemma: Morally Neutral Scenario

Strategies and Payoffs, Verbal Form:
Individuals interact without side payments or communication.

If you defect, and the other defects, you each receive P.

If you cooperate, and the other cooperates, you each receive R.

If you defect, and the other cooperates, you get T, and the other gets S.

If you cooperate, and the other defects, you get S, and the other gets T.

Note that T > R > P > S and R > (T + S)/2.

Strategies and Payoffs, Normal Form:

-------->Column
Row Defect Cooperate

Defect

P, P T, S

Cooperate

S, T R, R

Student's Dilemma WWI: Live & Let Live

Open Sea Fishing Trade vs. Raid Holocaust Resistance

A History and Bibliography of Game Theory


Back to the Prisoner's Dilemma	Back to the Curriculum Workshop

-------->Column Row	Defect	Cooperate
Defect	P, P	T, S
Cooperate	S, T	R, R

	Student's Dilemma	WWI: Live & Let Live
Open Sea Fishing	Trade vs. Raid	Holocaust Resistance
A History and Bibliography of Game Theory

Morally Neutral Form The Prisoner's Dilemma in the Classroom

Morally Neutral Form
The Prisoner's Dilemma in the Classroom