Example 2: Do foragers Optimize or Satisfice?
In the foraging problem studied in Carmel and Ben-Haim (2005) the unknown parameter is the rate of gain in energy (joules/minute) for a foraging animal in a given patch. Carmel and Ben-Haim (2005, p. 635) propose an unbounded complete region of uncertainty for this parameter. I must admit that I am no expert on the energy consumption of foraging animals, but I am confident that it is far more realistic to assume that the region of uncertainty under consideration is bounded (above and below) rather than unbounded. Furthermore, I am confident that experts in this area can provide reasonable bounds for the complete region of uncertainty. If hard pressed, I would argue that the bounded interval say G=[-1000000,1000000] is far more realistic than the interval (-∞,∞) proposed by Carmel and Ben-Haim (2005).
