Instant Egghead - What Is the Prisoner's Dilemma?

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The prisoner's dilemma is a classic illustration of why rational people don't always cooperate--even when it's in their best interest to do so. In this episode of Instant Egghead, Scientific American editor Michael Moyer explains how it works.

Scientific American Magazine Vol 307 Issue 5This article was originally published with the title “Instant Egghead - What Is the Prisoner's Dilemma?” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 307 No. 5 ()
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican112012-2JmF4eDUjrwnKUs0O9i2bS