Maximin Principle Applied to the Election

In rationality and decision theory, we have the Maximin principle, which states that we look at the worst possible outcomes of every act, and choose the act which produces the least worst outcome. So, if I have to choose between two investments, say Apple and Google, and if the worst case scenario for my Apple investment is I lose $100 and the worst case scenario for my Google investment is that I lose $200, then under the Maximin principle, I should choose to invest in Apple over Google. That is, if course, if I want to minimize my losses. 

There is something pessimistic about the Maximin principle. If for example, the best case scenario for my Google investment is that I profit 1 million dollars and the best case scenario for my Apple investment is I profit 5 thousand dollars, then we may be rational to choose Google over Apple. But I want to focus on the pessimism because I get the sense that many people are pessimistic about politics and the election these days. So, can the pessimistic Maximin principle help guide us in this election? 

We like to assume the worst of our opponents. It's not charitable, and we shouldn't do it, but we do. So, let's assume the worst. What is the worst we can say about the Republicans and the Democrats? Remember, we have to consider the worst for both in order to apply the Maximin principle. We can't assume the worst for one side and not the worst for the others. We have to be fair here. So, it seems like for Republicans, the worst that is assumed is that they are Nazi's and will bring death to civilians. For Democrats, the worst that is assumed is that they are Communists and will bring death to civilians. So, which has historically caused more death? Nazi's or Communists? Nazi's killed some 6 million people in the holocaust, not counting the death toll during the war. Stalin killed some 20 million people. Add to this number Pol Pot, Mao Zedong, and other Communists, it seems like Communism has a higher death toll than Nazism. So, under the Maximin principle, where we assume the worst and choose the least worst of all the options, we should choose the Republicans. 

Vote for Trump. 




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