Trust and Contingency Plans

Abstract Trusting relationships are both valuable and risky. Where the risks high fears of betrayal also high, it might seem rational to try mitigate risks, while still enjoying benefits trusting relationship, by forming a contingency plan. A plan—in sense I am interested in—involves contingent punishments for defection, which primarily meant encourage trusted partner act trustworthily. argue, however, that such plans suffer from an internal tension wherein planner seeks undermines particular level (or kind) trust. There two problems in particular, either is sufficient undermine relationships: one, fails see as sincerely engaged two, separates herself out relationship seeing her flourishing separate partner’s (or, even worse, dependent on harm). Continency plans, then, not just about future; they cast moral shadow what we doing now.