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Is the prisoner's dilemma metaphor suitable for altruism? Distinguishing self-control and commitment from altruism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 March 2003

Elias L. Khalil
Affiliation:
Behavioral Research Council, American Institute for Economic Research, Great Barrington, MA 01230 elk@aier.org http://www.brc-aier.org

Abstract

Rachlin basically marshals three reasons behind his unconventional claim that altruism is a subcategory of self-control and that, hence, the prisoner's dilemma is the appropriate metaphor of altruism. I do not find any of the three reasons convincing. Therefore, the prisoner's dilemma metaphor is unsuitable for explaining altruism.

Type
Brief Report
Copyright
© 2002 Cambridge University Press

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