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From: ins_akaa@jhunix.UUCP (Ken Arromdee)
Newsgroups: net.startrek,net.math,net.philosophy
Subject: Re: Is it logical to make random decisions?
Message-ID: <2293@jhunix.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 20-Mar-86 12:02:41 EST
Article-I.D.: jhunix.2293
Posted: Thu Mar 20 12:02:41 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 26-Mar-86 03:22:34 EST
References: <1661@mtgzz.UUCP> <24900128@uiucdcs> <4571MIQ@PSUVMA>
Reply-To: ins_akaa@jhunix.ARPA (Ken Arromdee)
Organization: TARDIS Repairs, Inc.
Lines: 20
Xref: watmath net.startrek:5101 net.math:2995 net.philosophy:4639

>>> A good way to confound a logical player is to make completely random
>>> moves.  The logic involved in strategic game playing generally involves
>>> predicting the other player's moves; this is quite difficult if the
>>> other player is random.  Kirk's play was probably not random, but he
>>> probably guessed every now and then, which was enough to throw Spock's
>>> strategy off.
>>In other words, this is a LOGICAL way to play against such a player, right?
>You mean the logical thing to do is to play randomly, without logic?
>Isn't that a contradiction in terms?  (Where have I heard that before?)

The point is that randomly does NOT mean "without logic", that in fact 
the most logical move can be a random decision.  I am cross-posting this to
net.math to see if any game theorists can confirm this...  (can you?)
-- 
"Father, they DO know what they are doing!"

Kenneth Arromdee
BITNET: G46I4701 at JHUVM and INS_AKAA at JHUVMS
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