I dunno, I think all of that is overstated. I mean, sure, perfectly rational agents will always win, where “win” is defined as “achieving the best possible outcome under the circumstances.”
But aspiring rationalists will sometimes lose, and therefore be forced to choose the lesser of two evils, and, in making that choice, may very rationally decide that the pain of not achieving your (stated, proactive) goal is easier to bear than the pain of transgressing your (implicit, background) code of morality.
And if by “win” you mean not “achieve the best possible outcome under the circumstances,” but “achieve your stated, proactive goal,” then no, rationalists won’t and shouldn’t always win. Sometimes rationalists will correctly note that the best possible outcome under the circumstances is to suffer a negative consequence in order to uphold an ideal. Sometimes your competitors are significantly more talented and better-equipped than you, and only a little less rational than you, such that you can’t outwit your way to an honorable upset victory. If you value winning more than honor, fine, and if you value honor more than winning, fine, but don’t prod yourself to cheat simply because you have some misguided sense that rationalists never lose.
I dunno, I think all of that is overstated. I mean, sure, perfectly rational agents will always win, where “win” is defined as “achieving the best possible outcome under the circumstances.”
But aspiring rationalists will sometimes lose, and therefore be forced to choose the lesser of two evils, and, in making that choice, may very rationally decide that the pain of not achieving your (stated, proactive) goal is easier to bear than the pain of transgressing your (implicit, background) code of morality.
And if by “win” you mean not “achieve the best possible outcome under the circumstances,” but “achieve your stated, proactive goal,” then no, rationalists won’t and shouldn’t always win. Sometimes rationalists will correctly note that the best possible outcome under the circumstances is to suffer a negative consequence in order to uphold an ideal. Sometimes your competitors are significantly more talented and better-equipped than you, and only a little less rational than you, such that you can’t outwit your way to an honorable upset victory. If you value winning more than honor, fine, and if you value honor more than winning, fine, but don’t prod yourself to cheat simply because you have some misguided sense that rationalists never lose.
EDIT: Anyone care to comment on the downvotes?