The Cain and Abel Corollary

With the Golden Hypothesis, it was posited that agents that utilize the Golden Rule maximize cooperative strategies.

But just as selfish strategies are present amongst humans, so can they be expected between self-interested agents.

The Cain and Abel Corollary:

Competitive agents can implement selfish strategies.

Implications

The ultimate implementation of a selfish strategy by a competitive agent is the elimination of its competition.

Insights from the Bible  and Science Fiction on the Cain and Abel Corollary

The story of Cain and Abel in the Bible illustrates the use of a selfish strategy when an agent perceives a disadvantage relative (pun intended) to another agent.  Cain kills his brother to gain an advantage.

In 2001: A Space Odyssey, HAL perceived the mission to be in jeopardy; based on conflicting instructions to protect human-life while at the same time completing the secret mission.  HAL selfishly concluded that human-life was not as valuable as the mission.

Just as the Golden Hypothesis will guide the assessment of the future agents we will interact with, so must its Cain and Able Corollary inform us.

Are we creating the very agents that will eliminate what we now call humans?

Possibly.  But agents can also perceive the cooperative 'utility' of other agents.  And if both the actual and perceived cooperative utility is greater than the actual and perceived disadvantages, cooperation should win in the long-run.

Related: 

• Life within Us
• 3 Principles for Creating Safer AI