#game-theory

#game-theory

The half-life of humanity is currently around 35 years, said Nobel laureate in physics David Gross as he concluded an evening lecture at the German Physical Society's conference in Erlangen in March.

With its Alpha series of game-playing AIs, Google's DeepMind group seemed to have found a way for its AIs to tackle any game, mastering games like chess and by repeatedly playing itself during training. But then some odd things happened as people started identifying Go positions that would lose against relative newcomers to the game but easily defeat a similar Go-playing AI.

While it can be difficult to play The Traitors as a Faithful with few allies, it's a relatively good position for a Traitor: Rob was able to murder without guilt or context. While the fellow players tried to talk themselves into a grand theory of gamers and/or Housewives betraying one another, Rob kept things close to the chest - developing relationships in thoughtful, quiet ways but always willing to turn his back on his friends when the timing was right.

Walking through the Long Island Railroad concourse, my son was perplexed by the close proximity of three chicken-themed restaurants-Chick-fil-A, Raising Cane's, and Pollo Campero-and by the fact that a shop called Gotham News mainly seemed to sell candy and bottled water. He also wanted to know why some people, as they strolled or waited, drank out of cans in brown paper bags. "Why do they use those bags?" he asked.

The decision not to vaccinate isn't simply about misinformation or hesitancy; it involves game theory, explaining how rational choices can lead to risky collective outcomes.