Kantian Ethics and the Prisoners' Dilemma

Abstract

The prisoners' dilemma game stands as a seminal case of the conflict between individual and collective rationality. Some scholars have suggested that Kantian duty-based ethics can prevent the suboptimal outcomes associated with the game. I argue that this claim is too strong, because Kant's moral theory does not entail specific duties requiring cooperation in prisoners' dilemma games. I support this argument in terms of Kant's categorical imperative, and also with reference to his distinction between perfect and imperfect duties.

Keywords: prisoners' dilemma, game theory, ethics, Immanuel Kant

JEL Classification: A13, C71