Interesting take on Sanjuro's Assassination Market

[Lodewijk andré de la porte]

2013/11/29 Patrick Chkoreff <pc at loom.cc>

> Lodewijk andré de la porte wrote, On 11/28/2013 09:37 AM:
> > Solving crime is also very much more expensive than causing it.
>
> That doesn't matter.  All that matters is that the benefit of solving
> the crime exceeds the cost of solving it.
>

I think we disagree here. Game theory doesn't support this standpoint. I am
sure having no crime would be better for humanity than the other way
around. But to commit a crime can be extremely profitable, emotionally or
financially. And for me to protect others is not profitable for me
directly. It's like taxes, it's good for society if everyone just pays
their taxes (provided the taxes are fair). But do I want to pay taxes? I
don't know anyone that looks forward to paying his taxes.


> Forget retribution.  The primary benefit of an investigation is the
> insight which enables you to prevent future crimes.  That can be
> enormously valuable in terms of life and property.
>

Then why didn't you spend 10% of your wealth/income last year on
investigating crime prevention? I appreciate that you feel this discussion
is helping, and it's helping me get my thoughts clearer, but I truly think
a community cannot be expected to behave in a way good for the community
but bad for the individual.


> > And the advantage to solving another person's problem is smaller than
> > solving your own.
>
> The advantage is the same when your problems are the same, which is
> often the case.
>

I don't quite see this argument. A murderer and a police officer have
opposing motives. A person in the street will back away from both to
prevent getting hurt, even if he might help either achieve his/her goal.
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