The Prisoner's Dilemma

[The Riddler]

Two people get arrested for a very significant crime. They each have a separate trial. Their sentence is based on  how they testify.

If they both refuse to rat out their partner, they will get a 20 year sentence.
If one rats out his partner, the rat will get off scott-free and the partner will get a 60 year sentence.
If both rat eachother out, they will both recieve a 40 year sentence.

Would you rat out your partner and either get off scott-free or serve an extra 20 years?
Or would you refuse to rat, risking your own 60 years?

[JrDude]

It all depends on my relation to the other person is.

[The Riddler]

It all depends on my relation to the other person is.

Whoever it is, you were willing to commit a real bad crime with them.

[Rayquarian]

This sounds familiar somehow...

Anyway, removing emotion from the equation completely, I'd probably rat.  It seems more plausible to me that my partner would rat me in hopes that I wouldn't rat him, so I should rat him out to avoid a longer sentence.

[JrDude]

Well, knowing my friends, they'd either likely get in trouble again, or rat me out, so I'd rat them out and feel guilty if they didn't rat me out. But I'd send them a little rubber knife to keep them from getting bored in jail.

[Totla]

Arrange with my partner ahead of time for him to stay quiet and me rat.
Stage a breakout from the outside/inside.

[Silverhawk79]

Knowing my friends, they wouldn't rat me out.
I'll return the favor.

[Macawmoses]

I'd rat you out.