S02E03 - Rational behaviour on a desert island prisoner's dilemma episode artwork

EPISODE · Aug 30, 2025 · 52 MIN

S02E03 - Rational behaviour on a desert island prisoner's dilemma

from Descartes Before the Horse

In this episode, Luke throws Liam and our special guest philosopher Dr Sameema Zahra into a sunburnt version of the Prisoner’s Dilemma: an island with not enough water, dubious fishing arrangements, and a suspiciously rickety hut. Along the way we learn who betrays, who stays “mostly consistent,” and how long you should really wait before cannibalism becomes an option. It’s survival ethics with a splash of existentialism and we talk about what it means to be rational in extreme situations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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S02E03 - Rational behaviour on a desert island prisoner's dilemma

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How long is this episode of Descartes Before the Horse?

This episode is 52 minutes long.

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This episode was published on August 30, 2025.

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In this episode, Luke throws Liam and our special guest philosopher Dr Sameema Zahra into a sunburnt version of the Prisoner’s Dilemma: an island with not enough water, dubious fishing arrangements, and a suspiciously rickety hut. Along the way we...

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