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Chapter 02 of 5

The Rock-Paper-Scissors Cycle

Discover why group preferences can loop in irrational circles.

  1. The Origin

    The Enlightenment Discovery

    In 1785, the Marquis de Condorcet discovered a mathematical glitch in democracy. He realized that collective decisions can be irrational even if individuals are perfectly logical.

  2. Core Concept

    Transitivity Defined

    If you prefer apples to bananas and bananas to cherries, logic says you must prefer apples to cherries. This is called transitivity.

  3. The Glitch

    Intransitive Outcomes

    The Condorcet Paradox occurs when a group's combined preferences form a loop. The group prefers A to B, B to C, but C to A.

17 more cards in this chapter

Could you answer this?

In the Condorcet Paradox, what happens when a group ranks three candidates (A, B, and C)?

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🗳️ Arrow’s Paradox: The Impossibility of Fair Voting

  1. 01The Democratic DreamExamine the intuitive assumption that collective will is easily measurable.
  2. 02The Rock-Paper-Scissors CycleDiscover why group preferences can loop in irrational circles.
  3. 03The Five Pillars of FairnessDefine Arrow's intuitive criteria for a perfect voting system.
  4. 04The General ImpossibilityWitness the mathematical proof that fair systems are logically impossible.
  5. 05Beyond the Ballot BoxLearn to navigate a world where the 'Will of the People' is a myth.