The Calculus of Selfishness

by Sigmund, Karl

• ISBN13: 9781400832255
• ISBN10: 140083225X
• Copyright: 2009-12-24
• Publisher: Princeton Univ Pr

Summary

How does cooperation emerge among selfish individuals? When do people share resources, punish those they consider unfair, and engage in joint enterprises? These questions fascinate philosophers, biologists, and economists alike, for the "invisible hand" that should turn selfish efforts into public benefit is not always at work.The Calculus of Selfishnesslooks at social dilemmas where cooperative motivations are subverted and self-interest becomes self-defeating. Karl Sigmund, a pioneer in evolutionary game theory, uses simple and well-known game theory models to examine the foundations of collective action and the effects of reciprocity and reputation.Focusing on some of the best-known social and economic experiments, including games such as the Prisoner's Dilemma, Trust, Ultimatum, Snowdrift, and Public Good, Sigmund explores the conditions leading to cooperative strategies. His approach is based on evolutionary game dynamics, applied to deterministic and probabilistic models of economic interactions.Exploring basic strategic interactions among individuals guided by self-interest and caught in social traps,The Calculus of Selfishnessanalyzes to what extent one key facet of human nature--selfishness--can lead to cooperation.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. vii
Introduction: Social Traps and Simple Games	p. 1
Game Dynamics and Social Learning	p. 25
Direct Reciprocity: The Role of Repetition	p. 49
Indirect Reciprocity: The Role of Reputation	p. 82
Fairness and Trust: The Power of Incentives	p. 104
Public Goods and Joint Efforts: Between Freedom and Enforcement	p. 123
Cooperation in Structured Populations	p. 145
References	p. 155
Index	p. 169
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