It’s a combination of evidential reasoning and norm-setting.
I see the norm-setting, which is exactly what I’m trying to point out. Norm-setting is outside the game, and won’t actually work with a lot of potential trading partners. I seem to be missing the evidential reasoning component, other than figuring out who has more power to “win” the race.
with a similarly-reasoning opponent
Again, this requirement weakens the argument greatly. It’s my primary objection—why do we believe that our correspondent is sufficiently similarly-reasoning for this to hold? If it’s set up long in advance that all humans can take or leave an 8,2 split, then those humans who’ve precommitted to reject that offer just get nothing (as does the offerer, but who knows what motivated that ancient alien)?
I see the norm-setting, which is exactly what I’m trying to point out. Norm-setting is outside the game, and won’t actually work with a lot of potential trading partners. I seem to be missing the evidential reasoning component, other than figuring out who has more power to “win” the race.
Again, this requirement weakens the argument greatly. It’s my primary objection—why do we believe that our correspondent is sufficiently similarly-reasoning for this to hold? If it’s set up long in advance that all humans can take or leave an 8,2 split, then those humans who’ve precommitted to reject that offer just get nothing (as does the offerer, but who knows what motivated that ancient alien)?