Aspergers

[darrenb]

Game theory more or less dictates that such a situation would be unstable. Even the slightest tendency to cheat would have massive rewards for the individual so such behavior would evolve again quickly.

Depends on what is meant by "rewards". In such a world, the concept would have a very different meaning. After all, what's the point of cheating to get a billion dollars if you and everyone else already has a billion dollars?

We have become so committed to our selfish actions that we are reluctant to admit the fundamental pointlessness of them...

[doodab]

Depends on what is meant by "rewards". In such a world, the concept would have a very different meaning. After all, what's the point of cheating to get a billion dollars if you and everyone else already has a billion dollars?

We have become so committed to our selfish actions that we are reluctant to admit the fundamental pointlessness of them...

That's the joy of abstract mathematics. Reward simply means something some people want enough that they think about how to get it. It could be anything.

I don't think selfish actions are fundamentally pointless TBH, they evolved with good reason in much the same way as altruistic ones did.

The lack of suspicion and machination in Aspergers sufferers is just a symptom of a more general inability to empathise and understand the workings of other peoples minds. This can also result in them being just as selfish or even more so than other people, so the chances of utopia spontaneously arising in a world populated by Aspergers sufferers is no higher than it is in the world we have today IMO.

[NotAllThere]

I know an Aspergic chap. Extremely bright, PhD in bio-informatics, happily married. Excellent programmer. He's learned how to not be manipulated, but still has difficult knowing how to respond correctly socially, on occasion.

[OwlHoot]

I know an Aspergic chap. Extremely bright, PhD in bio-informatics, happily married. Excellent programmer. ...

That surprises me because, as doodab said in so many words, the underlying difficulty for people on the autistic spectrum is an inability to deal mentally with second order representations.

In everyday terms, that means "putting yourself in others' shoes". But on a more abstract level, I'd expect them also to have problems manipulating pointers and closures and reflections etc, the sort of "indirect" programming contructs encountered in most modern programming languages.

[SueEllen]

That surprises me because, as doodab said in so many words, the underlying difficulty for people on the autistic spectrum is an inability to deal mentally with second order representations.

Why?

It's actually a stereotype of someone with autism/Aspergers that they are brilliant at Maths and/or Computing.

[Fred Bloggs]

Why?

It's actually a stereotype of someone with autism/Aspergers that they are brilliant at Maths and/or Computing.

That's very true and also why these conditons are referred to as "Autistic spectrum disorders". IE - There is a very wide range of affliction and ability. Luckily our child is relatively mildly affected but fortunately is extremely talented at maths.

[MarillionFan]

That's very true and also why these conditons are referred to as "Autistic spectrum disorders". IE - There is a very wide range of affliction and ability. Luckily our child is relatively mildly affected but fortunately is extremely talented at maths.

Just in case, just don't leave him near a computer for to long.

[Fred Bloggs]

Just in case, just don't leave him near a computer for to long.

Too late for that!

[OwlHoot]

Why?

It's actually a stereotype of someone with autism/Aspergers that they are brilliant at Maths and/or Computing.

Well quite. That's why it surprises me!

Unless they use a different mental approach to thinking about indirect or "proxy" relations.

[NotAllThere]

For him, abstract is easy. It's real world that's tricky. He just does, e.g. proxy. He doesn't worry about what the implementation is or how it actually works. Which is also how he's learned to relate to people fairly well - uses some basic rules, without worrying about the why.