How to outsmart the Prisoner’s Dilemma - Lucas Husted

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  • Опубликовано: 1 фев 2025

Комментарии • 4,5 тыс.

  • @technetium9653
    @technetium9653 4 года назад +30425

    God, the animation is phenomenal, shout out to the animators : Ivana bosnjak and Thomas Johnson

    • @snorgy8543
      @snorgy8543 4 года назад +323

      Especially in this episode. That cotton animation was so good

    • @Mr.Retrospective250
      @Mr.Retrospective250 4 года назад +92

      Sorry that is Ivana Bošnjak and if i am not wrong she is from Bosnia

    • @jackharrington6397
      @jackharrington6397 4 года назад +28

      Amazing animation

    • @ThapeloMKT
      @ThapeloMKT 4 года назад +28

      And here I am watching in 144p because I'm poor

    • @the_sophile
      @the_sophile 4 года назад +88

      i thought this was stop motion
      not animation

  • @vernowietsch
    @vernowietsch 3 года назад +8889

    "Infinite triple limb consumption" is not a phrase I had expected to ever hear in my life, but I am not disappointed

    • @PostiHDx
      @PostiHDx 3 года назад +120

      Sounds like a great name for my future deathcore band

    • @Zenden1ST
      @Zenden1ST 3 года назад +52

      some like some skill youd hear in an MMO rpg

    • @quokka_11
      @quokka_11 3 года назад +22

      It's actually a cocktail.
      Made with triple sec and armagnac, served in a Klein bottle.

    • @mareikedregger1513
      @mareikedregger1513 3 года назад +2

      Please, have you learned NOTHING during the recent Pandemie?! Incurable tuberculosis in three limbs is no fun… Just saying 🤓.

    • @QuokkaWaka
      @QuokkaWaka 3 года назад +6

      @@mareikedregger1513
      Damn, my arm has been having lung problems recently... I think it's too late for me

  • @sophiesmith9300
    @sophiesmith9300 4 года назад +18365

    "Two perfectly rational gingerbread men"
    _As gingerbread men usually are_

    • @meghanav3450
      @meghanav3450 4 года назад +247

      Yeah they are rational.... I mean they aren't pie 🥧 right? 😂 😂

    • @Bartonovich52
      @Bartonovich52 4 года назад +111

      These ones weren’t.
      Gingerbread men usually run instead of being eaten.

    • @anonymousfry
      @anonymousfry 4 года назад +24

      @@meghanav3450 noice

    • @gabenugget114
      @gabenugget114 4 года назад +5

      Cool

    • @dinoenjoyer2002
      @dinoenjoyer2002 3 года назад +3

      *w h a t*

  • @chronicirritation
    @chronicirritation 3 года назад +2321

    if the gingerbread men were actually smart they would have just offered to let the fox eat their gingerbread house

    • @Bearkat87
      @Bearkat87 2 года назад +55

      I….um…yea…any ambitions to become sec of state? Very nice.

    • @karolinakuc4783
      @karolinakuc4783 2 года назад +113

      It's not about hunger. Fox is malevolent creature here

    • @serenitythesiren5031
      @serenitythesiren5031 2 года назад +16

      Well do they have Ginger Brains?

    • @wren_.
      @wren_. 2 года назад +19

      If they were perfectly logical and could discuss their choices before, then they would spare each other

    • @irrelevant_noob
      @irrelevant_noob 2 года назад +6

      @JackOfAllTrades except that would mean they'd be melting the next time it rained...

  • @theofficefan6192
    @theofficefan6192 4 года назад +9474

    “The weather today is partly suspicious, with chances of betrayal.”
    *wow who hurt you*

    • @YourlocalSk31Ton
      @YourlocalSk31Ton 4 года назад +314

      It's simple.
      "Society"

    • @dreamsteddybearsmaster
      @dreamsteddybearsmaster 4 года назад +49

      I feel like everyone will be hurt lie that once in their life at least...

    • @crywhit4619
      @crywhit4619 4 года назад +27

      Everything

    • @name5702
      @name5702 4 года назад +20

      EXISTENCE IS PAIN, no more lies

    • @Brindlebrother
      @Brindlebrother 4 года назад +12

      when the dark clouds seem to be moving away and clear skies approaching, but it rains anyway. Nature will always choose to rain when you don't have ur umbrella.

  • @prettyoriginalnameprettyor7506
    @prettyoriginalnameprettyor7506 3 года назад +1928

    When you realise that the wizard is just trying to feed his pet fox. Being a freelance wizard is a low income job after all.

    • @QuokkaWaka
      @QuokkaWaka 3 года назад +63

      You'd imagine that being a freelance wizard would earn you the big buckeroonies, but between taxes and the lack of advertising it unfortunately doesn't tend to work out

    • @gekkkoincroe
      @gekkkoincroe 3 года назад +10

      I am wondering was Howard did not sure down during covid

    • @AsobiMedio
      @AsobiMedio 3 года назад +20

      Even a state funded wizard pays pretty low. New Zealand's official wizard only made 11k a year before he was let go.

  • @e32b61
    @e32b61 4 года назад +4886

    “Seeing how happy they are, he decides that instead of simply eating them...”
    Aww. How kind of him -
    “... he will subject them to a game of mental anguish as well as physical torture.”
    What the - ?

    • @IDMYM8
      @IDMYM8 4 года назад +38

      IKR LMAO XDDDDDD

    • @binxbarkz
      @binxbarkz 4 года назад +8

      lmao

    • @Lolz172
      @Lolz172 4 года назад +84

      Mr. Wolf is a straight up sociopath 😂

    • @thichinhphan4010
      @thichinhphan4010 4 года назад +29

      The usual fairy tales and fables 😂

    • @Macaroth1
      @Macaroth1 4 года назад +29

      Clearly a German fairy tale.

  • @Winteramen
    @Winteramen 3 года назад +487

    "Their eternity may be very *crumby* but so long as they go out on a *limb* their lives will never be *half baked."* well done guys. Got three puns in at the final few seconds of the video. Bravo

    • @JESUSISLORD.........
      @JESUSISLORD......... Год назад

      trust in the word of God, Matthew 7:24-27 Jesus says here, Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. Jesus saves, God bless.😊😊😊

    • @TV-gn9li
      @TV-gn9li Год назад

      lol😂

  • @natalicox9939
    @natalicox9939 4 года назад +4233

    Moral of the story: Don’t look happy when you encounter a fox.

    • @khays7208
      @khays7208 4 года назад +164

      If they weren't looking happy, he would've just eaten them both.

    • @skinfully
      @skinfully 4 года назад +96

      K Hays and they wouldn't have to go through all this decision-making and eternal punishment :)

    • @JulieWallis1963
      @JulieWallis1963 4 года назад +35

      Natalí Cox meh! I have a family of foxes 🦊 visit me every evening. I’m always happy to see them.

    • @crazyratlady1738
      @crazyratlady1738 4 года назад +10

      julie Wallis wait for real? That’s so cutee

    • @erika89765
      @erika89765 4 года назад +6

      They should’ve squeaked like a dolphin. It’s a wise tip I’ve heard from a Brazilian man 😌😂

  • @mockingwizard
    @mockingwizard 4 года назад +844

    “But as long as they *go out on a limb* their friendship will never again be half-baked.” They never fail to amuse me.

    • @jmstudios3049
      @jmstudios3049 4 года назад +13

      That, along with the “crummy” pun right before it really buttered my croissant if you know what I’m saying

    • @mockingwizard
      @mockingwizard 4 года назад +3

      @@jmstudios3049 ufff😂

  • @adumba3709
    @adumba3709 4 года назад +11104

    Of course the gingerbread people are perfectly rational, everyone in the Ted Ed universe is

    • @crullestcow5395
      @crullestcow5395 4 года назад +236

      If only humans could be perfectly rational.

    • @fathfez7991
      @fathfez7991 4 года назад +122

      They're all mathematicians!

    • @adumba3709
      @adumba3709 4 года назад +37

      Lol this is the first time I got hearted, pretty cool

    • @Freekymoho
      @Freekymoho 4 года назад +76

      @@crullestcow5395 In this case perfect rationality led to a double betrayal and the loss of 3 limbs each, as well as being cursed to repeat the dilemma for eternity. If they had both chosen to just cooperate from the start they'd have walked away with the same end result, but without being eaten partially every day

    • @T.H.E.O.R.Y.
      @T.H.E.O.R.Y. 4 года назад +37

      @@Freekymoho but wouldn't true perfect rationality have involved them realizing that if they spared the other from the go, the other would likely have done the same? It's not even completely altruistic or unreasonable to think.
      I mean if anything it's irrational & cynical (not saying you are) to think that these two friends would abandon their friendship in a situation like this without them having the wherewithal to think "if I continue to walk in my friendship, then maybe my friend will do the same".

  • @Ben-rz9cf
    @Ben-rz9cf 3 года назад +781

    I like stuff like this because its a convincing argument you can make to even a sociopath that morality is a logical thing.

    • @iakhileshgupta3553
      @iakhileshgupta3553 3 года назад +14

      I highly doubt that

    • @thv.taecrew
      @thv.taecrew 2 года назад +30

      ^true, cuz instead of labeling it as "morality" in their pov, they'll be more inclined towards "cynicism" n smth like that... that is rationally n fundamentally advantageous. also, if it's a sociopath, u won't really need tht much of an effort to tell them about this argument where you'll hve to technically "convince" them cuz once they hear it, they'll learn n know how it can benefit them, they're smart afterall....so yeah. so if/when they agree, it could be seen as morally correct n all but really tho...in this case, i think "morality"(if any) here would just be a by-product.
      just my opinion. everyone is free to agree to disagree

    • @sren7383
      @sren7383 2 года назад +10

      Regard for morality is often the setback to logical outcomes

    • @jan-ef1fp
      @jan-ef1fp 2 года назад +15

      @@sren7383 not in this scenario at least. if they both chose the morally best option of sparing each other, they both don't have much to lose and it's still better than the other options where either or both are hurt more.

    • @Donkadocus
      @Donkadocus 2 года назад +7

      I agree that most people's morals are actually calculated self interest

  • @maliksiraj3443
    @maliksiraj3443 4 года назад +3308

    Plot Twist :
    The Fox Was Disguised As The Wizard, To Eat them Everyday!

  • @Jingatoe
    @Jingatoe 4 года назад +7986

    alternate ending:
    the fox dies because he ate too much sugar.

    • @xiaoweishi5873
      @xiaoweishi5873 4 года назад +25

      No it only eats a few limbs he probably won’t die

    • @jewelsb4926
      @jewelsb4926 4 года назад +172

      @@xiaoweishi5873 yeah he eats a few limbs... infinitely

    • @vincentblaze8424
      @vincentblaze8424 4 года назад +20

      Damn son you got the whole squad laughing

    • @Obsolete386
      @Obsolete386 4 года назад +49

      @@jewelsb4926 there's a wizard involved, don't bring logic into this

    • @GurpreetSingh-yy1yi
      @GurpreetSingh-yy1yi 4 года назад +20

      There is a chance that his stomach and hunger resets.

  • @LnPPersonified
    @LnPPersonified 3 года назад +9050

    Option 3:
    Chewy: "It's a good thing we went on our walk with our guns, right Crispy?"
    Crispy: **pumps shotgun** "It's fox season."

    • @enderlordex9396
      @enderlordex9396 3 года назад +445

      and then they shot the fox, skinned it, sold the pelt for a large amount of money, then they lived happily ever after

    • @epithat4582
      @epithat4582 3 года назад +371

      @@enderlordex9396 no they used the money to become drug sellers and enter a gang and get girls and use flour, days later crispy was caught by the donut police, and chewy smoked way too many pockys and died of lung cancer

    • @taliyaroshani809
      @taliyaroshani809 3 года назад +11

      2A

    • @xxxmaysilssss690
      @xxxmaysilssss690 3 года назад +42

      Good ol’ Murica

    • @epithat4582
      @epithat4582 3 года назад +15

      @Winter White yep, be carefull with pockeys

  • @PhantomSavage
    @PhantomSavage 3 года назад +3313

    At that point I'd just say "well, if he's going to eat one or part of us anyway. New plan: Kill the fox or die trying."
    I'd say YOLO, but it wouldn't apply here.

    • @somedudeontheinterwebs45
      @somedudeontheinterwebs45 3 года назад +134

      YOLF(you only live forever)!

    • @gowrishreevalli9495
      @gowrishreevalli9495 3 года назад +52

      no, no i totally get it. screw logic

    • @afaultytoaster
      @afaultytoaster 3 года назад +45

      so in terms of the prisoner's dilemma, shoot the cops?

    • @QuokkaWaka
      @QuokkaWaka 3 года назад +40

      Ok but I mean unless you're that one massive gingerbread man from Shrek 2, it'll probably just end in both of you dying

    • @4Curses
      @4Curses 3 года назад +56

      @@afaultytoaster I think that is fair, when the cops threaten to eat your limbs

  • @oliverry4826
    @oliverry4826 4 года назад +1299

    Let’s just appreciate this animation.

    • @cannedprimordialsoup
      @cannedprimordialsoup 4 года назад +14

      I would like to but the fox is terrifying

    • @oliverry4826
      @oliverry4826 4 года назад +8

      Octopus hellacutii understandable

    • @tuesdaywithanh
      @tuesdaywithanh 4 года назад +7

      It's so well made and I love it a lot

    • @snowtime5500
      @snowtime5500 4 года назад +2

      That's not an animation.

    • @coolmasters4156
      @coolmasters4156 4 года назад +7

      @@snowtime5500 I believe it's called a stop motion animation

  • @kingvideogames
    @kingvideogames 3 года назад +8269

    Wizard: *Sees the fox tormenting gingerbread men*
    Wizard: What a fine young lad.
    Wizard: *Sees Gingerbread men acting logically*
    Wizard: HOLD UP

    • @GeoBlits
      @GeoBlits 3 года назад +62

      XD LOL

    • @lucielm
      @lucielm 3 года назад +192

      @@GeoBlits As a fellow fox, I agree with the wizard for feeding our kind with gingerbread men.

    • @peoplepleaser117
      @peoplepleaser117 3 года назад +26

      @@lucielm Poor gingerbread men.

    • @metazoxan2
      @metazoxan2 3 года назад +83

      I mean if the scenario is truely infnite then the fox is trapped in the same time loop.
      Unless we assume it's a different fox every day for all of eternity.

    • @lilchristuten7568
      @lilchristuten7568 3 года назад +116

      @@metazoxan2
      A time loop of filling his belly every day with tasty gingerbread.

  • @mrsahilbawa
    @mrsahilbawa 4 года назад +10980

    Why isn’t that wizard minding his own business? Typical wizard.

    • @jmstudios3049
      @jmstudios3049 4 года назад +128

      131 likes, a heart from the channel and no replies? I have come to change such an abomination

    • @mrsahilbawa
      @mrsahilbawa 4 года назад +63

      My hero

    • @jmstudios3049
      @jmstudios3049 4 года назад +53

      @@mrsahilbawa not all of us wear capes

    • @JubileuKing
      @JubileuKing 4 года назад +14

      @@jmstudios3049 I can get behind this!!!

    • @carsonrush4152
      @carsonrush4152 4 года назад +33

      You have no power here, Gandalf Stormcrow.

  • @sbrevoltuion5
    @sbrevoltuion5 3 года назад +218

    The flaw in the rationality is that while crispy looses nothing of his own, he does lose something very valuable: a friend

    • @Inkyminkyzizwoz
      @Inkyminkyzizwoz Год назад +3

      *loses

    • @zacharynguyen7286
      @zacharynguyen7286 Год назад +4

      Hope everyone is doing good

    • @FireFish5000
      @FireFish5000 6 месяцев назад +1

      Prisoner's dilemma works well for those with loose/no relationships and some level of moral/consciousness eating away at them. But when 2 people actually care about each other and it's just pure betrayal... Not so much.
      On the other hand, If you knew your friend couldn't live with The pain of losing a leg... Maybe put them out of their misery?

  • @R2Cv1
    @R2Cv1 4 года назад +1254

    That fox is the scariest thing I've seen all morning.

    • @gusevans3817
      @gusevans3817 4 года назад +57

      I just saw it before bed.
      My feet aren’t coming out of my sheets.

    • @crackpotpolitics5986
      @crackpotpolitics5986 4 года назад +2

      Yeah

    • @myowncomputerstuff
      @myowncomputerstuff 4 года назад +8

      @@gusevans3817 🦊 Boo!

    • @hc1759
      @hc1759 4 года назад +4

      I'ma get nightmares tonight.

    • @jewelsb4926
      @jewelsb4926 4 года назад +16

      I took one look at the thumbnail wand was like “yo what the fu-“

  • @Entias
    @Entias 4 года назад +1409

    I would tell the gingerbread couple "At least one of you has green eyes"

    • @stephendonovan9084
      @stephendonovan9084 4 года назад +173

      Of course, but which wand should the wizard take to win the tournament?

    • @Entias
      @Entias 4 года назад +127

      @@stephendonovan9084 Forget the wand, what you need is a laser cutting tool for the werewolf antidote

    • @Jazkeyx
      @Jazkeyx 4 года назад +70

      Ohh and add “And the other one is colorblind”

    • @derpinickd4626
      @derpinickd4626 4 года назад +31

      @@Entias bahaaa the references

    • @Multibe150
      @Multibe150 4 года назад +50

      Just rember to go back to the initial chamber after doing so, otherwise you won't be able to form an Euclidean path

  • @char8962
    @char8962 4 года назад +3625

    the cookies: 😀😀
    the fox: yall a lil too happy so imma test y’all
    the cookies: 😐😐

  • @silencia08
    @silencia08 3 года назад +958

    Fox: So have you decided?
    Fox: Who will be sacrificed and who will be spared?
    Chewy & Crispy: (in unison) Yes we have decided to sacrifice the WIZARD!!!

    • @jdjw20fanmades97
      @jdjw20fanmades97 3 года назад +45

      Wizard: OH NO!

    • @amalaysian1514
      @amalaysian1514 3 года назад +53

      Wizard: Wait, that's illegal

    • @operandwriter
      @operandwriter 3 года назад +57

      Fox: Wait, what wizard?
      Chewey: The one that put us in this time loop.
      Fox: Hmm, maybe I can get magic powers if I eat the wizard.

    • @foxgaming7781
      @foxgaming7781 3 года назад +10

      I attack the moon (if you get it You get it)

    • @idkjustputagoodname6120
      @idkjustputagoodname6120 3 года назад +1

      @@foxgaming7781 I get it and it hurts

  • @kaivalyabhatt948
    @kaivalyabhatt948 4 года назад +365

    The Quotes at the starting are some of the most valuable pearls showcased by Ted-Ed, just love them.

  • @nickzardiashvili624
    @nickzardiashvili624 4 года назад +215

    The stop motion, both in design and execution, is simply beautiful! If you, the reader, happen to be someone who worked on this - bravo!

    • @thomasvolda455
      @thomasvolda455 4 года назад +8

      :)

    • @Stoney-Jacksman
      @Stoney-Jacksman 4 года назад +4

      You might enjoy watching 'the fantastic Mr Fox'

    • @nickzardiashvili624
      @nickzardiashvili624 4 года назад +2

      @@Stoney-Jacksman My other comment on this video is: "Man I don't remember this scene from Fantastic Mr Fox at all." :D

  • @audreyortman9238
    @audreyortman9238 3 года назад +920

    Why is no one talking about how cool the style of this video is?! I would love more videos in this animation style!

    • @popcream2082
      @popcream2082 3 года назад +23

      This style should fall under stop motion animation.
      Its pretty cool

    • @dynamin7525
      @dynamin7525 3 года назад

      Why is no one talking about how this makes no sense at all?

    • @KiithNaabal
      @KiithNaabal 3 года назад

      While looking like vintage stop motion, maybe it is done using CGI...would love to know how this was done!

    • @andurilan
      @andurilan 3 года назад

      Because its a false dichotomy. If the second dilemma were the same stakes and math as the first, then more people would pay attention to visuals.

    • @DannyBPlays
      @DannyBPlays 3 года назад

      Literally everyone is talking about it. Take 2 seconds to read a comment

  • @eddeh0772
    @eddeh0772 3 года назад +16

    Had to watch this twice because the animation was so beautiful that I wasn’t paying enough attention to the information the first time!

  • @feral-introvert
    @feral-introvert 4 года назад +1235

    trick question: the gingerbread men have to eat each-other to assert their dominance over the fox

    • @XxhaniefxX
      @XxhaniefxX 4 года назад +80

      Hmm kinky

    • @stephendonovan9084
      @stephendonovan9084 4 года назад +68

      The fox just leaves out of disgust

    • @shxtney
      @shxtney 4 года назад +16

      cannabalism

    • @clarkepercivaljaeblood4886
      @clarkepercivaljaeblood4886 4 года назад +31

      They already eat each other at the gingerbread house

    • @shxtney
      @shxtney 4 года назад +32

      @@clarkepercivaljaeblood4886 let's pretend that never happened

  • @mrflip-flop3198
    @mrflip-flop3198 4 года назад +1457

    I tried to understand this but I chose spare and my brain chose sacrifice.

    • @goldsilvervscrisiscollapse4320
      @goldsilvervscrisiscollapse4320 4 года назад +64

      The ultimate betrayal, you cant even trust your brain

    • @ProfessorTenebrae
      @ProfessorTenebrae 4 года назад +11

      What don't you understand? I would be happy to explain.

    • @maihak6996
      @maihak6996 4 года назад +3

      @@ProfessorTenebrae explain to me xD

    • @ProfessorTenebrae
      @ProfessorTenebrae 4 года назад +39

      @@maihak6996 Okay well the problem behind this dilemma is the roots of mistrust.
      No matter what perspective you take, your best option is always to sacrifice the other.
      If they spare you, your options are:
      Spare them: Lose 1 limb.
      Sacrifice them: Lose no limbs.
      If they sacrifice you, your options are:
      Spare them: Lose 4 limbs.
      Sacrifice them: Lose 3 limbs.
      So you would ALWAYS sacrifice the other wouldn't you?

    • @ProfessorTenebrae
      @ProfessorTenebrae 4 года назад +50

      @Gciso10 I Gaming Like I said, if going off your own perspective, you never would. Like I said in my other comment, choosing spare from your perspective always loses you more limbs.
      On the whole it makes sense to both cooperate and spare, as the total limbs lost is less, and less pain for each individual, but people don't view things from other peoples perspective but their own. Thats the dilemma.

  • @jeffrey3334
    @jeffrey3334 4 года назад +445

    "We see it play out in real-life situations like trade negotiations and international politics"
    *Shows two squirrels fighting over a nut

  • @TrueXyrael
    @TrueXyrael 3 года назад +48

    Mutually Assured Destruction also breaks the rules by changing the variables from how many limbs remain to "survive" or "die," with any scenario where you die being absolutely undesirable, and thus guaranteeing neither side will betray the other.

    • @_somerandomguyontheinternet_
      @_somerandomguyontheinternet_ Год назад

      Agreed. It’s important to note that there are two critical differences between the traditional prisoner’s dilemma and this one.
      Here, the option to discuss (given in the video) is game changer. In the traditional Prisoner’s Dilemma (at least as I’ve heard it), the prisoners are not given a chance to discuss before choosing whether or not to sell out the other. Therefore, it is more profitable to sell out the other. In addition, traditionally, it’s measured in years in prison.
      However, in this situation, they can discuss with the other, and the stakes are higher than years in prison. I would argue that this could result in a different outcome.
      See, here we know that the stakes are losing one limb, losing three limbs, losing no limbs, and being eaten completely. However, being left with 3 limbs is arguably more than 3x better than being left with 1 limb. Being left with 1 limb leaves you basically useless (and vulnerable to predators, but being left with 3 limbs you can recover from. Also, being rational, Crispy and Chewy would know that if no alternate deal is reached, both would choose to sacrifice the other and they would be left in pain and basically useless with only one limb each. As such, it is in both of their best interests to end up with 3 limbs instead of 1, assuming they can trust each other enough to know the other one will do as they have agreed. If they did not discuss this, they would both sacrifice the other, however, being able to discuss it ahead of time, they could agree to both spare the other. This leaves them at risk of the other betraying them, but it also optimizes their chances of surviving afterwards. Remember that they’d be left with one limb each for the rest of their lives, and it’s quite possible those lives would be short and miserable with only 1 limb.

  • @yuliannaochoa4458
    @yuliannaochoa4458 3 года назад +1934

    This shows the importance of trust and selflessness. At the end of the day, it is very important for a community to trust each other and for each member to give back to the community, because it is the best option for everyone and the future.

    • @leekeeho543
      @leekeeho543 3 года назад +71

      Unfortunately this looks utopic given the nature of the human being, look for example at something as simple as environment, we would care alot more about it if we could see the impact of our actions in the short term, but since individually we're not as impacful, generally speaking, we couldn't care less

    • @darksecret6050
      @darksecret6050 3 года назад +29

      @@leekeeho543 But we do care about the future, a little - the delta is just a bit less than what you are expecting that's all

    • @spir013
      @spir013 3 года назад +64

      @@leekeeho543 you’re a little bit wrong. The fact that humans survived so well is because of taking care of each other and being part of a community.
      Caring for others is actually essential for healthy people. We are programmed to be part of a society.
      The average person can get sick for real if he spends too much time alone or going on for too many days without having the feeling of being needed and helpful. This is how we survive.
      Saying the human nature is to betray is actually wrong, dangerous and toxic thinking. Human nature is to be part of a group while being able to identify as an individual with own personality. To be able to listen to others and to be heard by them.
      We also care about future. That’s why we have schools and economy. You don’t need a system of money if you don’t care about the future. You learn stuff and you teach the next generation what you have learned so humans can survive better

    • @rascototalwar8618
      @rascototalwar8618 3 года назад +5

      @@spir013 We are not really programed to be part of a society. What we are programed for is long term vs short term gain.
      Currently we are moving more and more to short term gain as longer term is getting moved further and further out of reach.
      Its illustrated pretty well in the video when you do not care about tomorrow you will be selfish. Current western society there is no need to care about tomorrow, your needs will be provided for you regardless on if you have a job or not.

    • @hissingwillows668
      @hissingwillows668 3 года назад +26

      Rasco total war not true - we're highly social animals. we experience worse outcomes when extremely isolated because we are driven to be social. if we took other species who are not social and gave them the intelligence to work through the dilemma, it would be a different story. people ARE often selfish, but it is still true that we benefit from social bonds.

  • @IAINnotANDREW
    @IAINnotANDREW 4 года назад +791

    "Will you spare or scarfice your friend?"
    "I will answer when I return"

    • @strawberrycucumber88
      @strawberrycucumber88 4 года назад +35

      He never returned.

    • @zerd1801
      @zerd1801 4 года назад +36

      (Leaves, makes a new friend, is betrayed by said new friend, and returns)
      “I will sacrifice THAT friend!”

    • @Mayaaa__
      @Mayaaa__ 4 года назад +9

      Legendary

    • @catie_edwards
      @catie_edwards 4 года назад +3

      AHAHHAHAHAAHHA

    • @hal_lucid_ation
      @hal_lucid_ation 3 года назад +2

      after getting the three dark hairs of the Ted-Ed channel, Crispy returns.

  • @calburst
    @calburst 3 года назад +3270

    What happens when you factor in the pain of losing a leg every day. How long does it take for Crispy to lose it and beg to be sacrificed every day? These are the real questions

    • @Bennevisie
      @Bennevisie 3 года назад +355

      Just end it by jumping into a glass of milk, man.

    • @QuokkaWaka
      @QuokkaWaka 3 года назад +50

      @@Bennevisie
      That would be the equivalent of jumping into acid (not very fun)

    • @QuokkaWaka
      @QuokkaWaka 3 года назад +241

      @@jeshuajacob5890
      No, I got the joke, it's just that clearly this guy doesn't understand optimal gingerbread suicide techniques

    • @rodrigoandrade256
      @rodrigoandrade256 3 года назад +40

      But Crunchy seems like the one with a weaker mind tho

    • @wjzav1971
      @wjzav1971 3 года назад +17

      Gingerbread Men have no sense of pain. Duh!

  • @Phoenix-King-ozai
    @Phoenix-King-ozai 3 года назад +10

    “ Fox, we have come to bargain ...”
    “ You have come to have your limbs eaten “

  • @ihatra7957
    @ihatra7957 4 года назад +566

    me, minding my own:
    TED-Ed: "How to outsmart the Prisoner’s Dilemma"
    me: How DO you outsmart the prisoners dilemma???

    • @svensei5643
      @svensei5643 3 года назад +15

      by adding more Rounds to the act. in Short: In real life a Prisoners Dilemma like in Game Theory doesnt really exist

    • @Cptkaliente1
      @Cptkaliente1 3 года назад +3

      @@svensei5643 Are you familiar with whats going on with GME stock? The only reason im here is cause the GME community keeps tossing around the Prisoners Dilemma as a way to describe the situation.

    • @SalmonBucket
      @SalmonBucket 3 года назад

      @@Cptkaliente1 what is GME?

    • @Cptkaliente1
      @Cptkaliente1 3 года назад +1

      @@SalmonBucket it is a stock ticker that is shorted to oblivion. The hedgefunds will need to buy back every single share making it go to the millions per share

    • @SalmonBucket
      @SalmonBucket 3 года назад

      @@Cptkaliente1 i see, interesting

  • @ginocastillo7412
    @ginocastillo7412 4 года назад +838

    that fox is my sleep paralysis demon

    • @YourlocalSk31Ton
      @YourlocalSk31Ton 4 года назад +32

      Congrats Surviving every night

    • @Joe-gb4fm
      @Joe-gb4fm 4 года назад +14

      Its 11 PM here where Im watching and Im having nightmares before Im even sleeping

    • @anudeeps11
      @anudeeps11 4 года назад +7

      yeetado yeebedepop 10:43am rn formme

    • @TEDEd
      @TEDEd  4 года назад +268

      Yikes! We hope he doesn’t haunt you for too long. In the meantime, if you want to find out more about those sleep paralysis demons, may we suggest this video: bit.ly/TEDEdSleepParalysis

    • @paschadoudou
      @paschadoudou 4 года назад +200

      @TED-Ed THAT WAS SMOOTH AF

  • @sanketkandu656
    @sanketkandu656 4 года назад +2004

    I felt like I understood everything until the MATHS came

    • @sanketkandu656
      @sanketkandu656 4 года назад +119

      Yeah sure, Albert Einstein.

    • @kurtlindner
      @kurtlindner 4 года назад +42

      The math isn't super important to the concept imo, it's just a mathematical proof of The Golden Rule.

    • @The.Nasty.
      @The.Nasty. 4 года назад +10

      I understood that Delta was a messed up G instead of a D... if that wasn’t the point I don’t know what is.

    • @ProfessorTenebrae
      @ProfessorTenebrae 4 года назад +154

      ​@Supreme ideology
      It's a pretty simple concept.
      Delta is the amount you care about future losses.
      0 being not at all. And 1 being the future is equally important to you as much as the present is.
      Everyone on earth is more present-focused that future-focused. But they do still care, so it isn't 0, or 1, but a fraction in between.
      If you are offered 1 candy today and told if you don't eat the candy, you will get an extra candy tomorrow, whether eat the one you have or wait for two entirely depends on your delta value.
      If your delta value is ½, then any future gains that can be made are halved in value to you.
      Meaning that the 2 candies in the future have an equal value to you than the one candy you have right now since those future candies are half as important to you. So you could go either way.
      If your delta value is ⅓, then the future candies have a value of 0.667 ( 2 * ⅓), meaning you'll always EAT the candy you have now, which is 1.
      If your delta value is ⅔, then the future candies have a value of 1.333 ( 2 * ⅔), meaning you'll always WAIT for the 2 candies in the future, which are worth more than 1.
      The last bit of math is basically in a summary, to say that if you write the infinite series for the outcomes for each strategy (in the case of the video, 1 vs 3 vs 4 limbs of loss) and setting them equal to one another, and calculating the value of delta, you can get the minimum value of important required to always choose the outcome of cooperating.
      *_3 / (1 - δ) = 4 + δ * (1 / (1 - δ))_*
      Solve that, and the answer is ⅓. Meaning in this specific scenario, for those outcomes, as long as your delta value is equal or greater than ⅓ you will always cooperate.
      This website will solve the equation for you:
      www.wolframalpha.com/calculators/equation-solver-calculator
      You can change the values to see what it does.
      Let's say instead of losing 1 limb when they cooperate, they lose 2 instead.
      *↓*
      *_3 / (1 - δ) = 4 + δ * (2 / (1 - δ))_*
      Solving that gives the answer ½, which means if you were gonna lose 2 limbs from cooperating, you would have to value the future higher in important to cooperate, which makes sense.
      Having a worse outcome makes cooperating worse, so you'd have to value the future even more.

    • @Jeedxx
      @Jeedxx 4 года назад +12

      Nahhhh. Just think of it as: The things you choose/ decide on today will have consequences in your future, whatever the consequences may be, the value of those consequences depend entirely on the degree of importance you assign on it. However, it will impact you nonetheless-- if the consequence is adverse to you, it makes "cooperating" or choosing the "generally favourable" option difficult.
      If someone says I understood it wrong, then there goes my 4 minutes down the drain to waste.

  • @douwehormann5715
    @douwehormann5715 3 года назад +2

    I don't know why but i found the sound of the Fox taking a bite really satisfying

  • @auro1986
    @auro1986 4 года назад +400

    the fox belongs to the wizard who feeds his pet everyday for free

    • @blasphemoustoast
      @blasphemoustoast 4 года назад +19

      fox is gonna get diabeetus

    • @romilgoel4191
      @romilgoel4191 4 года назад +4

      And the wizard is a paid actor. :v

    • @marpro212
      @marpro212 4 года назад +9

      The fox is also part of the dilemma. If he eats both ginger men completely... he'll starve. He would benefit in the short term/1st round, but starve in the next and every round thereafter.

    • @HarshDude126
      @HarshDude126 3 года назад +1

      @@marpro212 The gingerbread men are restored before every round.

  • @hotpotato5587
    @hotpotato5587 4 года назад +655

    The Video: Teamwork leads to a mutually better future.
    Me: Detain the fox. Sue the wizard for cruel and unusual punishment and violation of cookie rights.

    • @cynthiaedith4122
      @cynthiaedith4122 4 года назад +16

      Yes the cookie police are gonna kill the Fox and stop the wizard whit guumy guns

    • @stephendonovan9084
      @stephendonovan9084 4 года назад +5

      @@cynthiaedith4122 Aaaaaand now it's Hoodwinked

    • @Tamizushi
      @Tamizushi 4 года назад +14

      @@cynthiaedith4122 Plot twist, the cookie police shows up and eat the two cookies themselves, calling it "self-defense".

    • @Jazkeyx
      @Jazkeyx 4 года назад +11

      Its actually called Breadman rights* If you were to say Cookie rights I’d be implying the house (gingerbread house) has rights which it doesn’t. Im a Breadman Rights Activist so yea.

    • @zissler1
      @zissler1 4 года назад +2

      if you watched the whole context the ginger bread men were reaching for their frosting guns.

  • @KennyBky92
    @KennyBky92 4 года назад +251

    "As long as they go out on a limb..."
    I see what you did there

    • @DimiDimit
      @DimiDimit 4 года назад +10

      The last sentence contains 3 puns.

  • @brandonlopina7733
    @brandonlopina7733 3 года назад +82

    This video is a great way to show explain all of these concepts. My only qualm is that I don't think Chewy and Crispy friendship is represented by the problem which is fine for the video but it would of been fun to talk about. If my friend was going to lose 3 or all of his limbs I would probably value those at least a little bit. The simple graph assumes that Chewy and Crispy are opposing players in a game and not working against the fox on a team with limited communication. I would have to assume that two real friends would draw the graph out based on the total number of limbs between the two of them rather than the number of limbs individually and therefore always pick Spare from the get go.

    • @l.n.3372
      @l.n.3372 2 года назад +9

      Well, a prisoner's dilemma is usually just that: 2 captured prisoners. The prisoners might be former friends or allies. Or they might be 2 total strangers who just happened to be caught together. If it's 2 friends or family members, you might choose spare, spare - simply because of the guilt and remorse that might be associated with betraying a friend or family member.

    • @EmperorZ19
      @EmperorZ19 Год назад

      Gingerbread people are sociopaths. This is common knowledge.

    • @_somerandomguyontheinternet_
      @_somerandomguyontheinternet_ Год назад +1

      I’d also like to point out that the option to discuss (given in the video) is another game changer. In the traditional Prisoner’s Dilemma (at least as I’ve heard it), the prisoners are not given a chance to discuss before choosing whether or not to sell out the other. Therefore, it is more profitable to sell out the other. In addition, traditionally, it’s measured in years in prison.
      However, in this situation, they can discuss with the other, and the stakes are higher than years in prison. I would argue that this could result in a different outcome.
      See, here we know that the stakes are losing one limb, losing three limbs, losing no limbs, and being eaten completely. However, being left with 3 limbs is arguably more than 3x better than being left with 1 limb. Being left with 1 limb leaves you basically useless, but being left with 3 limbs you can recover from. Also, being rational, Crispy and Chewy would know that if no alternate deal is reached, both would choose to sacrifice the other and they would be left in pain and basically useless with only one limb each. As such, it is in both of their best interests to end with 3 limbs instead of 1, assuming they can trust each other enough to know the other one will do as they have agreed. If they did not discuss this, they would both sacrifice the other, however, being able to discuss it ahead of time, they could agree to both spare the other. This leaves them at risk of the other betraying them, but it also optimizes their chances of surviving afterwards. Remember that they’d be left with one limb each for the rest of their lives, and it’s quite possible those lives would be miserable and *very* short as two gingerbread men left vulnerable with only 1 limb.

  • @agathap24
    @agathap24 4 года назад +63

    the sound the fox makes when he bites so for some reason incredibly satisfying

    • @harshrao4495
      @harshrao4495 4 года назад +8

      that face will haunt me in my nightmares

  • @ceilingsintheireyes6288
    @ceilingsintheireyes6288 4 года назад +539

    Being a gingerbread man and having a limb eaten or being eaten alive is quite the darkest version of this I’ve heard 😅 usually it’s about splitting some sort of monetary prize

    • @letsrank9349
      @letsrank9349 4 года назад +28

      Imagine if they are humans. It becomes 10 times darker.

    • @yellobanana6456
      @yellobanana6456 4 года назад +24

      Well you know what they say about things costing arms and legs.

    • @LowestofheDead
      @LowestofheDead 4 года назад +47

      Strangely this is much more immediately intuitive than prisoners weighing up sentences or some weird bet.
      When it's set in the real world, you keep questioning the realism, "What judge would take off 75% of a sentence for good behavior?". But when it's about Wizards and talking gingerbread men, your child brain takes over and immediately knows "ONE LEG GOOD, ZERO LEGS BAD".
      In summary, more logic puzzles should involve fairytale elements so we appreciate how simplistic and removed from reality they are.

    • @georgelongcoal1117
      @georgelongcoal1117 3 года назад +2

      YOU CLEARLY HAVEN'T PLAYED VIRTUE'S LAST REWARD LOL

    • @Uriolu
      @Uriolu 3 года назад +1

      @@georgelongcoal1117 VLT is the reason I discovered the prisoner's dilemma and why I love it so much.

  • @cannedprimordialsoup
    @cannedprimordialsoup 4 года назад +165

    The "eating fox" animation now haunts me.

  • @frankiefrenchfries6259
    @frankiefrenchfries6259 3 года назад +130

    Watching this video just leaves me in awe of the zero escape games, especially virtues last rewarded, as a huge part of the gameplay is based on the prisoner’s dilemma. To anyone interested check the games out. In my opinion they are an extraordinary experience and become even more interesting the more you learn about the theories. :)

    • @inari3217
      @inari3217 3 года назад +6

      I'll add to this for anyone reading: Zero escape: virtue's last reward (VLR) is a visual novel/puzzle game that takes place in an unknown location facility, with 9 people who periodically will have to make the choice of the prisioners dilemma with a few added elements
      -Players start at 3 points
      -Being betrayed substracts 2 points
      -Cooperating adds 2 points to both parties
      -Betraying adds 3 points
      -Reaching 0 points will kill the player
      -Reaching 9 points gives the opportunity to the player to escape the facility
      This adds more layers of choice and complexity, you could apply the concepts of the infinite prisioners dilemma but if you get betrayed twice you'll be dead. if everyone were to cooperate 3 times, everyone gets out, but people get impatient and mistrust others in a stressful life or death situation, some may even be malicious, and with this line of thinking, they could get out in 2 rounds if they betray twice if they get to convince the other party to cooperate

    • @Manavine
      @Manavine 3 года назад +4

      @@inari3217 what I like is that logically, you need to betray asap, because even if you were both planning to betray, if it both counts, both get 1 point. But you can't betray someone who already backstabbed you.

    • @Free2Flay
      @Free2Flay 3 года назад +10

      No, the logic in that game didn't follow this. Some of the characters in the game used that explanation, but it didn't apply because the situation was different. It was closer to the Infinite Dilemma because there was no serious penalty for losing the first round. Keep in mind, there was also no serious benefit for betrayal (escaping one round earlier is irrelevant because they have infinite rounds to succeed).
      The most logical solution was to cooperate every time, because your choice was public and you couldn't win on the first round. If you ever chose to betray, everyone would know it, and everyone would, or at least should, proceed to betray you on every subsequent round, meaning you would never escape. If I remember correctly, I don't think anyone in the game ever acknowledged this, which led to over half the characters falling into the trap of picking betray for absolutely no reason. It wasn't good writing, in my opinion.
      I caution anyone thinking of playing Zero Escape to please think for yourself. Virtue's Last Reward only had 1 truly malicious actor, so the decisions didn't quite make sense. Also, avoid the 3rd game, it's a plot hole dumpster fire.

    • @Free2Flay
      @Free2Flay 3 года назад +3

      @@Manavine If both people choose betray, neither would gain or lose any points.

    • @snowjae9380
      @snowjae9380 Год назад

      One of my favorite game series!

  • @greendemon905
    @greendemon905 3 года назад +1923

    You'd think after at least one day the Gingerbread Men would become wise enough to either avoid or fight back against the fox.
    Fox: "Who shall I chew on today?"
    Chewy: "Chew on this!"
    *Pulls out hunting rifle*

    • @winturswonderlan9191
      @winturswonderlan9191 3 года назад +46

      Why is everyone commenting for the gingerbread men to hunt the fox XD

    • @greendemon905
      @greendemon905 3 года назад +147

      @@winturswonderlan9191 Because it makes little sense for the Gingerbread Men to just let themselves get mauled everyday. Unless they're enjoying it, but let's not open up that can of worms...

    • @anarkxi
      @anarkxi 3 года назад +89

      @@winturswonderlan9191 theyre rational gingerbread men so it makes sense to retaliate, nobody loses any limbs and the fox is dead. it seems pretty rational

    • @QuokkaWaka
      @QuokkaWaka 3 года назад +29

      @@anarkxi
      Maybe they didn't lose their limbs, but instead they lost their gingerbread humanity...

    • @eriol_h
      @eriol_h 3 года назад +1

      The best option!👍

  • @gordonramsdale
    @gordonramsdale 4 года назад +533

    There was this weird british TV show called golden balls where this was like the ending for a winning duo to see who got all the money, one time a guy told the other contestant he would choose steal 100% and he could either choose steal too and they both lose everything or choose split and he promised to split it with him after, the man was irritated but went along with it because what choice did he have. The balls were revealed and the first man had actually put split and they split the money, tricking the system.

    • @richardbonnette490
      @richardbonnette490 4 года назад +41

      I saw that video in business ethics class in college! I loved it! It was a brilliant strategy!

    • @hiachi4768
      @hiachi4768 4 года назад +29

      for those of you who want to see it yourself ruclips.net/video/S0qjK3TWZE8/видео.html

    • @josephbrennan370
      @josephbrennan370 4 года назад +4

      Wow that is actually really interesting.

    • @katelim51
      @katelim51 4 года назад +2

      Hiachi 47 HAHAHHAAHHA THANKS

    • @Crick1952
      @Crick1952 4 года назад +10

      The power of forced co-operation
      and *That's* how mafia works

  • @TheDhammaHub
    @TheDhammaHub 4 года назад +263

    In the end, cooperation based on free choice is almost always a benefit for all parties involved. The good choice for all is often also what's best for the individual, even though it doesn't seem like it sometimes!

    • @МатвейМещеряков-ц7ф
      @МатвейМещеряков-ц7ф 4 года назад +1

      @Abhinav Banerjee Life is, lmao. Science is in: nothing comes from nothing.

    • @baguettegott3409
      @baguettegott3409 4 года назад +7

      sounds like *capitalist propaganda* but okay

    • @anuradhahazarika5090
      @anuradhahazarika5090 4 года назад +15

      @@МатвейМещеряков-ц7ф What are you on about? No credible scientist says that will say that life comes from absolutely nothing since it violates the 1st law of thermodynamics, they simply avoid answering the question altogether; and no life isn't a zero-sum game, you'd know that if you read recent history.

    • @МатвейМещеряков-ц7ф
      @МатвейМещеряков-ц7ф 4 года назад +1

      @@anuradhahazarika5090 i read it, and i know that wealth of all 1st world countries comes from slavery and neocolonialism. Every bit of wealth is created by someone.

    • @anuradhahazarika5090
      @anuradhahazarika5090 4 года назад +7

      @@МатвейМещеряков-ц7ф And... What's your point? the What's done in past cannot be changed, I agree on your point about neocolonialism since it's effects on today's society are quite apparent and revealing regardless though it too is something which can be ameliorated especially in this point in time when questions about race exploitation are being raised more than ever, and might I remind you that nothing is static as history has shown whenever inequality rises further old systems of power inevitably bear the burden of increasing discontentment and chaos as all systems of power do, "nothing can stop an idea whose time has come" it only takes 10 percent of people to change any opinion on a particular thing (look it up its an actual point at which popular opinion invariably shifts).

  • @mooncake_1701
    @mooncake_1701 3 года назад +8

    Just want to give some appreciation to the awesome animators who put this together, love the style!

  • @therememberedman6561
    @therememberedman6561 3 года назад +771

    It’s a know fact that a gingerbread man cannot be caught

    • @cantaloupegodling352
      @cantaloupegodling352 3 года назад +39

      I know right. How can they be perfectly rational when their first thought wasn't just to run. I see no rivers, TED-ED!

    • @IGotYourBackBROTHER
      @IGotYourBackBROTHER 3 года назад +3

      Run, run, run , as fast as you can....

    • @avivastudios2311
      @avivastudios2311 3 года назад

      bro didn't you read the story?

  • @josiahsilva3832
    @josiahsilva3832 4 года назад +227

    That fox must have a great time every day, cookies taste good.

    • @random20000
      @random20000 4 года назад +6

      Oml ur right but i have a confession to make...........I never had a ginger bread cookie , only the normal choco chip cookies

    • @williamhenry0834
      @williamhenry0834 4 года назад +2

      Yep, you same as me

    • @fathfez7991
      @fathfez7991 4 года назад +10

      *"The fox eventually got diabetes and die"*

    • @harshvardhanwagare5663
      @harshvardhanwagare5663 4 года назад +2

      I am hungry now

    • @siangchengpang772
      @siangchengpang772 4 года назад +5

      Until you realise it also got punished by being stuck in this infinite timeloop eating nothing but gingerbread

  • @jacksonbush4394
    @jacksonbush4394 3 года назад +243

    Are we not talking about how the fox has an unlimited supply of gingerbread men?

    • @cantaloupegodling352
      @cantaloupegodling352 3 года назад +25

      This guy decided to torment gingerbread men because they *looked happy* and the wizard cursed them?

  • @joshuadonnelly1978
    @joshuadonnelly1978 3 года назад +801

    Oh, so THAT'S how you outsmart the Prisoners' Dilemma... by just changing the premise so it's literally not the Prisoners' Dilemma anymore.

    • @KnightMirkoYo
      @KnightMirkoYo 3 года назад +51

      it just shows you that the logic for solving it applies to any situation with cooperation/betrayal choices

    • @potatoboy549
      @potatoboy549 3 года назад +81

      Agreed. The very point of the prisoners dilemma is that the 2 contestants don’t know the outcome. Having some magical wizard doom them to doing this forever just means they are pretty much forced to spare each other unless they want to be limbless for eternity.

    • @DragNetJoe
      @DragNetJoe 3 года назад +68

      There are multiple solutions to the prisoners dilemma, all requiring some form of enforcement mechanism. In this case it's future outcomes that enforce today's outcome.

    • @DragNetJoe
      @DragNetJoe 3 года назад +24

      @@here_be_dragons9184 It's not really beating, it's changing the conditions.

    • @bobhill6301
      @bobhill6301 3 года назад +6

      Yup because i’m faced with a perfect prisoner’s dilemma everyday

  • @classixdrummer
    @classixdrummer 3 года назад +735

    “Mr. Fox, I choose not to choose. Do your worst.”
    The truth of all of these situations is that your captor is lying to you. You are both already dead. Keep your integrity.

    • @ElBosquee
      @ElBosquee 3 года назад +54

      You might be right. But you're not considering that if the fox is lying or not doesn't really matter, the real problem here is that the situation is gonna repeat forever. Therefore is best to end up doing what causes less harm to both... They are friends after all.

    • @TheDJYosh
      @TheDJYosh 3 года назад +52

      I don't agree. As a consequentialist, I think that this approach gives you the worst possible outcome. What they said would happen to you isn't necessarily the worst thing they could possibly do. If they want to do their worst they'll do it, if they didn't want to you're goading them into it.
      Wouldn't just sparing the other prisoner and accepting whatever outcome be the integrity play? I wouldn't want my actions to cause another prisoner to suffer more even if I accept I don't get out of the situation alive.

    • @Ponera-Sama
      @Ponera-Sama 3 года назад +13

      What difference does keeping your integrity make if you're dead anyway?

    • @AlphaSteam2
      @AlphaSteam2 3 года назад +18

      @@Ponera-Sama If both decisions lead to your death. Not choosing anything or choosing to spare the other. Why not just choose to spare them? Does integrity matter after your dead? perhaps not, but by that logic, does it really matter when you're alive? It's just a matter of principles.

    • @raresmuntean257
      @raresmuntean257 3 года назад +8

      So the gingerbread men decided what to do, faced with the reality of their own mortality they realised: the best move was to not make a move at all. The only chess mate available was to not play for one.

  • @saymeownow3838
    @saymeownow3838 4 года назад +2002

    "Trade negotiations and politics"
    Shows squirrels arguing over acorn
    Edit:Thank you everyone who liked. Have a nice day.

    • @strawberrycucumber88
      @strawberrycucumber88 4 года назад +19

      Technically, it is

    • @saymeownow3838
      @saymeownow3838 4 года назад +5

      @@strawberrycucumber88 True.

    • @omooba00
      @omooba00 4 года назад +4

      Must've watched rick and morty

    • @idiotgoddess2114
      @idiotgoddess2114 4 года назад +7

      *Don’t bring that political controversy into this comment section*

    • @Olly07
      @Olly07 4 года назад +1

      I didn't get it. Can someone explain?

  • @aadya9099
    @aadya9099 4 года назад +90

    Of course! This is a Ted-Ed video. How could there NOT be a wizard involved?
    I'm not complaining though haha

  • @chloewilliams9941
    @chloewilliams9941 2 года назад +3

    "the smug fox runs off with a belly full of gingerbread, leaving the two former friends with just one leg to stand on."
    the one gingerbread man standing on his arm:

  • @namednamless3268
    @namednamless3268 3 года назад +318

    "So can you teach me how to outsmart the prisoners dilemma?"
    "Best I can do is how to outsmart the infinite prisoners dilemma" 😐

    • @reyne2077
      @reyne2077 3 года назад +29

      So the only way to outsmart the prisoners dilemma is to make it eternal. Yikes.

    • @chongwillson972
      @chongwillson972 3 года назад +9

      @@reyne2077
      or make last more than one round...

    • @wh3elson
      @wh3elson 3 года назад +11

      Only way is if you have external agreement. For example, if you are brothers with a super close bond, and talked about it beforehand. Or if you have hitmen to kill the other if they don’t choose correctly. Otherwise it is doomed.

    • @QuokkaWaka
      @QuokkaWaka 3 года назад +8

      @@wh3elson
      Alternatively, you can offer them a glass of choccy milk to tip the scales in favour of sparing

    • @hunjaja1054
      @hunjaja1054 3 года назад +6

      @@reyne2077 and did they really outsmart it? Is getting your leg eaten every day "outsmart ing" the fox?

  • @ben_b_zer0
    @ben_b_zer0 4 года назад +179

    When I clicked on this I thought I had the answer. It sounds like a trick right?
    If the outcome is directly linked to locking in the decision, then just don't decide.
    The Fox never mentioned there was a time limit, only that there were certain options and consequences to those specific options.
    Procrastination saves the day once again!
    The maths lesson was still cool though.

    • @RainbowUnicorn.-.
      @RainbowUnicorn.-. 4 года назад +26

      Ok, but the fox would logically get to the point of getting hungry enough that it wouldn't care anymore and might just decide to eat them both whole... or if they are being surveyed by the fox so they couldn't run away/go back home, they would eventually reach the point where they would run out of food and starve.

    • @prakashrathore119
      @prakashrathore119 4 года назад +2

      Yoo bro HUNTER × HUNTER

    • @ben_b_zer0
      @ben_b_zer0 4 года назад +1

      @@prakashrathore119 I've seen every episode.
      Might you remind me to which arc you are referring?
      Is it episode 19?

    • @MsOperaPrincess
      @MsOperaPrincess 4 года назад +4

      This is actually a tactic used by foreign powers alot 😆😆 Give no answer and stall.

    • @ben_b_zer0
      @ben_b_zer0 4 года назад +3

      ​@@MsOperaPrincess Foreign powers?
      Might you be referring to a politicians use of "Double-speak"?

  • @unigameverse
    @unigameverse 4 года назад +34

    Imagine being put in this awful situation and a wizard decides that you deserve to be punished because you did the only rational thing while your tormentor not only gets free without punishment, but is also rewarded with an eternity of daily cookies.

    • @roguishpaladin
      @roguishpaladin 4 года назад +1

      Wolves gotta eat, yo. Do not hate the wolf for its nature. In fact, consider that it could have just eaten both and be done with it, but chose mercy.

    • @Kittsuera
      @Kittsuera 4 года назад +1

      but the rational thing is to not sacrifice your friends. better for both to survive with 1 missing limb vs 3.
      should your friend chose to throw you under the bus its fine because at least you were able to protect them.

    • @darthvaderreviews6926
      @darthvaderreviews6926 4 года назад +1

      @@Kittsuera You missed part of the point of the prisoner's dilemma. If you put yourself into a *purely* selfish perspective, if your friend picked Spare, the best choice for you would be Sacrifice because that way you get to keep a limb. If your friend picked Sacrifice, the best choice for you would still be Sacrifice because you get spared getting fully eaten.
      That's why the rational, immediate short-term decision is to sacrifice, but if you care about this potentially happening again (to say nothing of the obvious ethical implications) Spare is the best decision.

    • @Kittsuera
      @Kittsuera 4 года назад +1

      @@darthvaderreviews6926 from a purely selfish perspective, wouldn't you want to keep your friend? you loose a lot more by sacrificing them. further, being made of ginger bread means you could replace a missing limb with a little baking and some frosting. you can't however replace the friend.
      the whole premise fails with the line "your friend"
      if it was a random stranger it might hold more water as an argument.
      Sacrificing "your friend" just to save a limb means you were not their friend, just a leech pretending to be their friend.
      then, if that being true, can you be certain they are also not a leech? if they also sacrifice you both loose 3/4 of your limbs. and in the middle of the forest that mean nether can get away or survive should some other danger come up.
      maybe the rain comes and you both dissolve into a soggy mess.
      a true friend would trust their friend not to sacrifice them. and even if they did, at least your sacrifice would save them.

    • @darthvaderreviews6926
      @darthvaderreviews6926 4 года назад +1

      ​@@Kittsuera You're taking the situation being presented *much* too literally. The reason why it's called the Prisoner's Dilemma is because the original layout was about whether or not two arrested criminals should confess to take a plea deal or keep quiet and it had nothing to do with friendship necessarily.
      The fact that they're gingerbread friends in the woods being tortured by a horrible fox and perhaps more horrible wizard is cute window dressing for the math but not relevant.

  • @songeunhye3243
    @songeunhye3243 3 года назад +4

    Dude every time I see this intro I have a flashback to the class clown in my history class screaming “OOH! TED ED!” Whenever he saw we were watching one of these in class. It was his favourite channel and he was so excited, and here I am almost 10 years later and I literally can’t forget it 😂

  • @notme3092
    @notme3092 4 года назад +8

    Hats off to the animators, narrator, researchers, and everyone else involved (sorry, idk much about what goes into making a video like this). This is phenomenal!!!

  • @Ara_Ara2
    @Ara_Ara2 4 года назад +60

    Plot twist: The two gingerbread men eat each other to spare themselves from the loop.

  • @thuynder
    @thuynder 3 года назад +299

    With the infinite situation, the most optimal choice for the gingerbread men would be to trade days. I.E. they agree that one would be fully eaten on Mondays, but on Tuesdays, its the other. They're coming back to life every day anyway, because of the wizard!

    • @piotrtoborek2442
      @piotrtoborek2442 3 года назад +27

      It is actually bad choice. If they both spare, they lose 2 limbs/day (one from each individual). If they sacrifice every other day, they lose 4 limbs per day (alternating) + body and head on top of that.
      It makes no sense at all...

    • @thuynder
      @thuynder 3 года назад +73

      @@piotrtoborek2442 I suppose from a "Limbs Lost" statistic, that would be true. I would prefer to judge it from a "Days I'm partially or wholly devoured" statistic, in which case my choice would be the lowest. A day lived fully might be preferable to days lived without a limb!

    • @piotrtoborek2442
      @piotrtoborek2442 3 года назад +10

      @@thuynder Might be or might not be. It would require additional assumptions though and it may vary from one individual to another so I am not a fan of such approach.

    • @kamikeserpentail3778
      @kamikeserpentail3778 3 года назад +24

      @@thuynder It's called the prisoner's dilemma because the original problem was presented with prisoners.
      They weren't exactly friends, just two people in the same criminal organization, so trust and concern for the other is not implied like it is here.
      Also it's years spent in prison not limbs lost, and that's kind of hard to alternate.

    • @GuardianOwl
      @GuardianOwl 3 года назад +15

      Indeed, if gingerbread men can feel pain (which I would imagine they do, otherwise why would they care if they lose 1 or 3 limbs on each day?) Then a quick and merciful death via being eaten whole may be preferable to spending the rest of the day in agony from a severed limb. If you look at it from a "people in chronic pain statistic" instead of total limbs lost, double sacrifice or double spare both result in 2 of 2 being in chronic pain, whereas only 1 sacrifice vs 1 spar results in 1 of 2 in chronic pain.
      The OP is just responding to the scenario as presented by the video author (an infinite loop with limb loss), it's not their fault that the author didn't present a proper prisoner's dilemma, nor an actual method to "outsmart" it.

  • @alexlower505
    @alexlower505 Год назад +1

    "Is that enough to get these poor sentient baked goods to agree to cooperate?" is the title of my forthcoming book.

  • @GoodGamer360
    @GoodGamer360 4 года назад +26

    Everybody saying that the animation was phenomenal (even though it is true), but the sound effects were in their point too, 10/10 to this video.

  • @nacnud2115
    @nacnud2115 4 года назад +156

    "How to outsmart the Prisoner’s Dilemma"
    answer: reset time

  • @pabloarias9734
    @pabloarias9734 3 года назад +172

    The absolute smugness you can hear when he chains three puns together is insane

  • @NameAvailable
    @NameAvailable 3 года назад +44

    How to beat the prisoner’s dilemma:
    Don’t use game theory.

  • @alech9418
    @alech9418 3 года назад +44

    One of my favorite teachers in hs was my computer science teacher. We spent an entire quarter on the prisoners dilemma. We had to write an algorithim that, matched 1000 times against every classmate, would provide the best result. I found a way to identify who I was playing against based on the result of the first 20 iterations. That way I had the ideal strategy to face everyone. One of my favorite class assignments ever.

    • @beevali8934
      @beevali8934 3 года назад +1

      how?

    • @alech9418
      @alech9418 3 года назад +8

      @@beevali8934 Because of how we tested it we had everyone elses code on hand. It was a logic puzzle to determine what pattern of questioning would identify each classmates code. Over each of the iterations 3-20 I was able to gradually narrow the pool of potential opponents. By iteration 20 (sometimes earlier) I was able to know what opponent by seeing their response to a pattern. Then I just had an if else loop thay played the best response to each individuals algorithm.

  • @wonsikyang891
    @wonsikyang891 4 года назад +143

    But if Chewy and Crispy worked together they could have eaten the fox

    • @redhot663
      @redhot663 3 года назад +5

      Gingerbread men don't have tummies

    • @topanimation9554
      @topanimation9554 3 года назад +4

      @@redhot663 but they eat little versions of themselves at 3:32

    • @User23-L-23
      @User23-L-23 3 года назад +3

      @@topanimation9554
      We've got a bigger problem now
      Cannibalism?
      Worse-
      The eating babies type cannibalism (?)
      Damn these gingerbread men are sick wtf who eats babies-

  • @brandongreenland9632
    @brandongreenland9632 4 года назад +18

    Crispy and Chewy: (Don’t trust each other)
    Wizard: *Infinite Mutilation Loop Time*

  • @TheFrigginDevil
    @TheFrigginDevil 3 года назад +2

    5:00 "Selfishness is short-term", "peace and cooperation are ideal".
    IRS Scammer: Hello your computer told us you have virus?

  • @Femaiden
    @Femaiden 3 года назад +67

    this reminds me of something i read about board game social interaction . while it's important to try to win , you don't want to do it in a way that angers one of the other players too much, because you run the risk that this player might get into a spiteful revenge mindset, where their goal shifts away from trying to win and instead their goal is just to mess with you and keep you from winning .
    this really makes sense just in games that involve 3 or more players, where the spiteful player just throws away thier turn devoted to preventing you from winning while the other player sweeps you both away and then the spiteful player say "I don't care that I lost, as long as I stopped you from winning .". . .

    • @KindredBrujah
      @KindredBrujah 3 года назад +1

      Also known as the Twilight Imperium Conundrum.

    • @TruthAndEssence
      @TruthAndEssence 2 года назад +1

      This is me. If I feel I’ve been aggrieved, and thus conclude my chances of winning are slim to none, I concede by my own choice. Therefore I am not beaten. Then I endeavour to exact justice on one of more players based how I have deemed their attitude thus far in the game.

    • @RBimas37
      @RBimas37 Год назад

      a skilled backstabber takes this into account. In my experience, If i pull it off correctly to win the game - I won't be invited to play again!

  • @Mythraen
    @Mythraen 4 года назад +594

    "Perfectly rational."
    And perfectly selfish. The chart only shows the outcomes of the decision as it pertains to the decision-maker.
    "My friend survives" is not considered as a positive outcome.

    • @idunnodo1142
      @idunnodo1142 3 года назад +22

      Theoretically speaking, it's not

    • @user-mq1ng6sj7b
      @user-mq1ng6sj7b 3 года назад +52

      @@idunnodo1142 What does that mean in this context? Theoretically, being sacrificed could be considered a positive outcome by someone but their friend disagrees, so they would both choose spare.
      My point is that "theoretically" is kind of vague here and could mean anything.

    • @idunnodo1142
      @idunnodo1142 3 года назад +16

      @@user-mq1ng6sj7b Oh, my view of theory is that the game doesn't view your friend surviving as a positive outcome in the game. Correct rational decisions essentially mean "you first" so while in theory it isn't a positive outcome, it is for some people

    • @RealLifeKyurem
      @RealLifeKyurem 3 года назад +68

      @@idunnodo1142 Rational decisions are decisions that further one’s goals. If your goal is “have your friend survive,” then your friend surviving is a positive.
      TL;DR What a positive outcome is to a rational decider depends on its goal.

    • @idunnodo1142
      @idunnodo1142 3 года назад +2

      @@RealLifeKyurem So for some it is and for some it isn't, right?

  • @jayykeyy
    @jayykeyy 4 года назад +25

    Why is this animation better than most multi-million dollar studio's efforts?! Well played!

  • @playing1042
    @playing1042 3 года назад

    a salute for the amount of work they did to show the movements of the characters and environments

  • @inbasicterms-popculturevid1704
    @inbasicterms-popculturevid1704 4 года назад +87

    “Perhaps our greatest distinction as a species is our capacity, unique among animals, to make counter-evolutionary choices.”
    ― Jared Diamond

  • @riyak.7393
    @riyak.7393 4 года назад +6

    Whoa, the animation is amazing in this one! Great work, Ted! Loved it!

  • @UnguessedGlory
    @UnguessedGlory 4 года назад +403

    The thing that always bugs me in these scenarios is...when do they decide to break the cycle and cooperate to eliminate the fox all together???????

    • @caipingcui7594
      @caipingcui7594 4 года назад +62

      Or just stay in the house.

    • @edub9930
      @edub9930 4 года назад +37

      Exactly. All of these unrealistic scenarios. Just shoot the damn fox.

    • @enieh112
      @enieh112 3 года назад +30

      It's the wizard they should go after. Assuming it's a loop, the fox would "reset" too. Common ground and reason for fox to cooperate.

    • @mitchjohnson4714
      @mitchjohnson4714 3 года назад +3

      Hi Marx. Say hi to Satan for me.

    • @mitchjohnson4714
      @mitchjohnson4714 3 года назад

      I know your comment was a joke. Mine was too.

  • @rainbowblueray6199
    @rainbowblueray6199 3 года назад +4

    Ain't we gonna talk about how adorable these gingerbread men's mouth movements are?🥰

  • @penguin3961
    @penguin3961 4 года назад +21

    Everyone: Calculating, analyzing, quoting
    *Me: The two gingerbread men look nice*

  • @fineblanket
    @fineblanket 3 года назад +57

    the limb addition to this makes it convoluted, especially since the interrogation explanation is much easier.

    • @l.n.3372
      @l.n.3372 2 года назад +1

      I don't think it's too convoluted. Just substitute years in prison for limbs or something. 1 limb is a single year. 3 limbs is 3 years etc.

  • @laurel9629
    @laurel9629 4 года назад +179

    Note that this only works if the gingerbread men are perfectly rational. If either gingerbread man cares more about their friend than their own life, the whole thing falls apart.

  • @FizzyPopVevo
    @FizzyPopVevo 2 года назад +1

    The fox on day 530.87801 of eating nothing but Gingerbread: "I'm tired, boss"

  • @betoshiver3993
    @betoshiver3993 3 года назад +53

    I remember being fascinated by this concept so much when I learned it in University. An interesting twist was the finitely repeated prisoners dilemma, I'm not sure I remember how to explain it now but long as there is an end to the routine of the game they will always find it optional to betray because they know that the optimal strategy is to betray in the last round, do they will try to one up each other by betraying on the previous one and so on until you get to the first game

    • @olgapindziak2662
      @olgapindziak2662 3 года назад +1

      yeah, this method is called backward induction. It's really useful in all kinds of situations.

    • @roshanantony64
      @roshanantony64 2 года назад

      Now that you put it this way, I'm fascinated by it too

    • @bw1llis
      @bw1llis Год назад

      Interesting!
      This is a nice exercise showing why, even in a finite repeated situation, cooperation and compassion should win: ncase.me/trust/
      ...but you've taken it one step further. Introduced a new, more tactical player.

    • @nightmareTomek
      @nightmareTomek Год назад

      The way to solve this is to have a random amount of rounds and not let the participants know when the last round arrives. Smart scientists have come up with that, not me.
      Veritasium did a video on this, which is really good and in-depth, where scientists did simulations and came up with smart solutions. You should really watch that and give this video here a thumbs-down. Although it comes to the same conclusion, the path to get there is just pseudo-science, or a fairy tale. Embarassing educational nonsense. Like that equation, it's arbitrary and would fall apart if you assign different points other than 1, 3 and 4 for the choices of the gingerbreads.

    • @EmperorZ19
      @EmperorZ19 Год назад

      Does it merely require there to be an end, or for the prisoners to know WHICH round is the last round?

  • @jonathand.t.5051
    @jonathand.t.5051 4 года назад +31

    "We have entered an endless recursion of time"

  • @yungjose3369
    @yungjose3369 4 года назад +4

    The style and animation is so appropriate for the topic, I love it!

  • @paddlefar9175
    @paddlefar9175 3 года назад +4

    This is why social species are generally cooperative in nature, because it’s always the best outcome for both if it’s an ongoing relationship. It’s mathematical, but it’s instinct generally.

    • @bgonza18
      @bgonza18 3 года назад +1

      It could be boiled down to simplistic math. If you are 1 and someone comes to harm you -1 (or -2 [depending on scale]) you would have negative outcomes. In order for us to find common ground or laws that we can all accept to at least at admit 1+1=2 (in a simplistic way) forms a society.

  • @제규형
    @제규형 3 года назад +19

    Back in the old days when I was learning about philosophy, this was like the largest thing if I remember right. That said, this is such a cute way to describe them. I learnt it by actual prisoner's cases. Thanks for the video.

    • @xastric6944
      @xastric6944 3 года назад +2

      are you sure it was philosphy?

  • @ankitkale5885
    @ankitkale5885 4 года назад +5

    I just love how the gingerbread men go from super happy smiling face, to just plain sad. Good Job Animators, Quality Content.

  • @Duskets
    @Duskets 3 года назад +49

    "Their eternity may be pretty crumby.."
    You lot were proud of that one, huh?

  • @springtrap8434
    @springtrap8434 3 года назад +1

    At 1:03 When he said "In game theory", i had flashbacks of Matpat saying "but hey that's just a theory, a game theory !!!" lmao

  • @elwynbrooks
    @elwynbrooks 4 года назад +18

    The real big brain move is to give the fox proper nutrition so that he won't terrorise Chewy and Crispy anymore

  • @infjelphabasupporter8416
    @infjelphabasupporter8416 3 года назад +43

    Why do I find the sounds in this video so oddly satisfying?

  • @xorahmichelle9201
    @xorahmichelle9201 4 года назад +12

    0:37
    Me: Oh, that's easy. Spare your friend. Simple
    Ted-Ed: A five-minute explanation
    Me: Guess it's not that simple....

  • @thepredman9lol266
    @thepredman9lol266 3 года назад +7

    This is like when your friend tells you a story in the opposite of straightforward way.