From the consistently wonderful SMBC:
Hilarious, but it’s also real research. Read more about how robots evolve to lie here. And if you want some biological examples, I’ve discussed dishonest signaling in deer and fiddler crabs in a previous post.
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4 comments
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Improbable Joe
July 31, 2010 at 7:44 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
It makes sense. From an evolutionary stance, it takes a lot of energy to go chasing after what you want. It takes much less energy to pick a spot and lure your prey to you. I’m half-convinced that marriage is the honest expression of love that coincidentally tricks my wife into getting me chicken nuggets, and tricks me into mowing the lawn. :)
LS
July 31, 2010 at 8:23 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Zach Weiner is such a marvelous bastard.
Jessy_Here
August 1, 2010 at 2:45 AM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I wonder if the ‘food source’ was limited in some way for the robot experiment.
hippiefemme
August 1, 2010 at 4:31 AM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I think it’s sweet that some of the robots “signaled danger and died to save other robots.” I never expected to see altruism from a robot, but it’s nice. Perhaps our new electronic leaders will be merciful lords.