Schelling Points, Rights, and Game Theory--Part II

[blanc]

From: 	James A. Donald

> Some implications of Tim's view is that all our rights are basically a
> transitory agreement between individuals.

Tim may or may not believe this, but that is not a consequence of his
views.  The schelling point theory of rights is substantially equivalent
in practice to "We hold these truths to be self evident."
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Oh.  I thought it was "we hold these truths to be too uneconomical for us to deal with".

On a side note, I was thinking some time ago about situations in far off places in Europe where some people are mistreating others in the most horrendous ways (like Bosnia where the males are being beaten, the females are being raped).  The news services report to us what is happening and so we know all about it, and we may feel the greatest sympathy for them, but yet be unable to render assistance - sufficient assistance - to be of any real help, from lacking the resources necessary to do what would be required.

So here is an example where one would be moved, not to impose one's view of what is right or wrong, but to provide relief to those suffering, based on one's sense of injustice, yet likewise calculate that it would not be feasible to take action, reasoning that the cost would be excessive; too burdensome.

   ..
Blanc