PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - J E Riggs
TI  - Medical ethics, logic traps, and game theory: an illustrative tale of brain death
AID  - 10.1136/jme.2002.002667
DP  - 2004 Aug 01
TA  - Journal of Medical Ethics
PG  - 359--361
VI  - 30
IP  - 4
4099  - http://jme.bmj.com/content/30/4/359.short
4100  - http://jme.bmj.com/content/30/4/359.full
SO  - J Med Ethics2004 Aug 01; 30
AB  - Decision making and choices are frequent themes in medical ethics. Game theory is based upon modelled decision making. Game theory, and associated logic traps, may have relevance to the clinical practice of medicine and medical ethics. The “prisoner’s dilemma” is one logic trap from game theory in which “rational” decision making on the part of participating individuals can lead to “suboptimal” situations. An example of such a situation involving brain death is presented and discussed from the perspective of the prisoner’s dilemma.