[EM] The 1,.1,0 utility example

[MIKE OSSIPOFF]

I haven't calculated the best strategy for the example that
was being discussed, the one where A has utility of 1, B is .1
& C is 0. But I can probably guess it.

First, though there could be other instances that I haven't
looked at, the only benefits that I've known about or
encountered for truncation in Condorcet have been for the
purpose of deterring offensive order-reversal. And if the
goal is to influence other voters, then one should announce
one's intention to truncate, something not permitted in a 0-info
election. Still, other voters who've studied the strategy might
know that it could be in your interest to truncate or use
a mixed strategy including truncation, just so that they'll
know you might do it. If so, I can't say for sure that there'd
be no reason to truncate. Hopefully we don't have to get into
strategy-interaction like that for 0-info Condorcet strategy.
And in that case, there's probably no reason to truncate. However
little we like B more than C, there's still some benefit to
ranking B, and probably no disadvantage.

I'd expect that if B is close enough to A in merit, then
there'd be a point at which it would be optimal to rank B
in 1st place with A. I'd expect that if B is close enough to
C in merit there's some point at which it would be optimal to
rank B below A (but over C). And I'd guess that, if B is only
1/10 of the way from C to A, in merit, that it will turn out
that it's better to rank B in 1st place, with A. But that's only
a guess.

Even with 3 candidates, there are lots of situations to check.
Enough so that it's a fairly big job, without using a computer
program. With more than 3, unless I'm mistaken, one just wouldn't
want to consider it without a computer program.

But it won't affect my opinions of the methods, because there
are other things that I judge them by, and which I consider more
important.

But there could be times when I'd use calculated strategy in
Condorcet.

Mike Ossipoff


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