If Alice and Bob are talking to each other as they deliberate
I think this is a typo, it should say “compete” instead of “deliberate”.
I worry about persuasion becoming so powerful that it blocks deliberation: How can Alice know whether Bob (or his delegated AI) is deliberating in good faith or trying to manipulate her?
In this scenario, small high-trust communities can still deliberate, but mutual mistrust prevents them from communicating their insights to the rest of the world.
So, boundaries enable cooperation, by protecting BATNA.
Would you say there is a boundary between cell and mitochondria?
In the limit of perfect cooperation, the BATNA becomes minus infinity and the boundary dissolves.