The Game's Afoot! Game Theory in Myth and Paradox

ItallstartedwithvonNeumannandMorgensternhalfacenturyago.TheirTheoryofGamesandEconomicBehaviorgavebirthtoawholenewareaofmathematicsconcernedwiththeformalproblemsofrationaldecisionasexperiencedbymultipleagents.Now,gametheoryisallaroundus,makingitswayevenintoregularconversations.Inthepresentbook,Mehlmannpresentsmathematicalfoundationsandconceptsillustratedviasocialquandaries,mockpoliticalbattles,evolutionaryconfrontations,economicstruggles,andliteraryconflict.Mostofthestandardmodels—theprisoners'dilemma,thearmsrace,evolution,duels,thegameofchicken,etc.—arehere.Manynon-standardexamplesarealsohere:theLegendofFaust,shootoutsinthemovies,theMadnessofOdysseus,tonameafew.Theauthorusesfamiliarformulas,fables,andparadoxestoguidereadersthroughwhathecallsthe“hallofmirrorsofstrategicdecision-making”.Hislight-heartedexcursionintotheworldofstrategiccalculationshowsthatevendeepinsightsintothenatureofstrategicthoughtcanbeelucidatedbygames,puzzles,anddiversions.OriginallywritteninGermanandpublishedbyVieweg-Verlag,thisAMSeditionisatranslationtailoredfortheEnglish-speakingreader.Itoffersanintriguinglookatmythsandparadoxesthroughthelensofgametheory,bringingthemathematicsintosharperfocusatthesametime.Thisbookisamustforthosewhowishtoconsidergametheoryfromadifferentperspective:onethatembracesscience,literature,andreal-lifeconflict.TheGame'sAfoot!wouldmakeanexcellentbookforanundergraduatecourseingametheory.Itcanalsobeusedforindependentstudyorassupplementarycoursereading.Theconnectionstoliterature,filmsandeverydaylifealsomakeithighlysuitableasatextforachallengingcoursefornon-majors.Itsrefreshingstyleandamusingcombinationofgametheoreticanalysisandculturalissuesevenmakeitappealingasrecreationalreading.