[EM] Chris BC reply

[Michael Ossipoff]

Chris quotes me:

Pasting from Mike's web page :
Beatpath Criterion (BC):
BC is only applied to rank methods. Its purpose is as a test for compliance 
with SFC, GSFC, WDSC, & SDSC. Any rank method that meets BC meets those 4 
criteria.
BC:
No one should win who has a pairwise defeat that isn't the weakest defeat in 
some cycle. (The strength of B's defeat by A is the number of people voting 
A over B).
***
BC is met only by SD, SSD, RP, and a few closely related methods.
BC generalizes & underlies the 4 majority-based defensive strategy criteria 
(WDSC, SDSC, SFC, & GSFC). Any rank method that meets BC also meets those 5 
criteria.


Michael Ossipoff wrote:
So I prefer my own preference-based wordings of my defensive strategy 
criteria. However, I myself have used a votes-only, rank-methods-only test 
for compliance with my criteria: Steve Epplely’s Beatpath Criterion. Any 
rank method that meets BC meets all four majority defensive strategy 
criteria (SFC, GSFC,. WDSC, & SDSC). You could say that no nonrank method 
meets BC, or you could say that it’s only applied to rank methods. But it’s 
a convenient way to test for compliance with all the majority defensive 
strategy criteria. BC’s wording doesn’t make it obvious why it should be 
met, and so I prefer my criteria, as criteria. I use BC as a test.

Chris says:

This "Beatpath Criterion" is more or less just Schulze(Winning Votes)

I reply now:

How about a bit more “less” than “more” <smiley>

Maybe Chris knows what he means by “more or less”. You could say that 
anything is more or less anything, though it might be more on the “less” 
side.

If you “dressed-up” BeatpathWinner as a criterion, various wv methods that 
meet BC wouldn’t meet BeatpathWinner.





Chris continues:

dressed up as a criterion.

I reply now:

No, not dressed up as a criterion. BC is a criterion. No one has proposed it 
as a method. It is different from BeatpathWinner. As is often the case with 
criteria and methods, a number of methods meet BC, but only one method is 
BeatpathWinner. BC is not BeatpathWinner, and BC is a criterion.

Chris continues:

I don't think this is very useful

I reply now:

That depends on what you want to use it for, stupid.

I stated what I use it for. I said that I use it for demonstrating 
compliance with all four of the majority defensive strategy criteria. It’s 
very useful for that. I never said that it was useful for anything else, 
stupid.

Chris continues:

because
(a) anybody who insists that a voting method meets this (i.e. the 4 criteria 
it tests for) has (98%) ended their search for the best voting method, and

I reply now:

Hey, Einstein, what if someone wants me to show them that, say, 
BeatpathWinner meets the four majority defensive strategy criteria.? There 
are properties that I claim desirable. Can you find it in your heart to 
forgive me if I want a way to demonstrate which methods comply?

Chris continues:

(b) some people like one or some but not all of the 4 criteria, so it is 
much better to be able to test for them individually.

I reply now:

People have asked me to demonstrate that certain methods meet all four of 
the majority defensive strategy criteria.

Mike Ossipoff