Game Theory: A Nontechnical Introduction

Davis, Morton D.; Morgenstern, Oskar (introduction)

ISBN 10: 0465026265 / ISBN 13: 9780465026265

Published by Basic Books, New York, 1970

About this Item

Small blue octavo in red/blue/white jacket with red spine; xii, 208 pages: illustrations; 22 cm. Game theory has been used to make investment decisions, pick jurors, commit tanks to battle, allocate business expenses equitably ? even to measure a senator's power, among many other uses. In this revised edition of his highly regarded work, Morton Davis begins with an overview of game theory, then discusses the two-person zero-sum game with equilibrium points; the general, two-person zero-sum game; utility theory; the two-person, non-zero-sum game; and the n-person game. - From the publisher. Fair jacket shows dampstaining, sunning to spine and some creasing to front flap but is intact with next to no chipping or tears; book and boards are in good (+) condition with dampstaining of leaves most visible in bleeding of red top edge stain; foxing to fore edge but pages are clean and binding tight, a very readable copy of an influential book.

Seller Inventory # 103082

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Game Theory: A Nontechnical Introduction
• Publisher: Basic Books, New York
• Publication Date: 1970
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0465026265
• ISBN 13: 9780465026265
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Fair
• Dust Jacket Condition: Dust Jacket Included
• Seller catalogs:
  • Mathematics

About this title

Synopsis

Fascinating, accessible introduction to enormously important intellectual system with numerous applications to social, economic, political problems. Newly revised edition offers overview of game theory, then lucid coverage of the two-person zero-sum game with equilibrium points; the general, two-person zero-sum game; utility theory; other topics. Problems at start of each chapter. Foreword to First Edition by Oskar Morgenstern. Bibliography.

From the Back Cover

"A lucid and penetrating development of game theory that will appeal to the intuition . . . a most valuable contribution."—Douglas R. Hofstadter, author of Gödel, Escher, Bach
The foundations of game theory were laid by John von Neumann, who in 1928 proved the basic minimax theorem, and with the 1944 publication of the Theory of Games and Economic Behavior, the field was established. Since then, game theory has become an enormously important discipline because of its novel mathematical properties and its many applications to social, economic, and political problems.
Game theory has been used to make investment decisions, pick jurors, commit tanks to battle, allocate business expenses equitably—even to measure a senator's power, among many other uses. In this revised edition of his highly regarded work, Morton Davis begins with an overview of game theory, then discusses the two-person zero-sum game with equilibrium points; the general, two-person zero-sum game; utility theory; the two-person, non-zero-sum game; and the n-person game.
A number of problems are posed at the start of each chapter and readers are given a chance to solve them before moving on. (Unlike most mathematical problems, many problems in game theory are easily understood by the lay reader.) At the end of the chapter, where solutions are discussed, readers can compare their "common sense" solutions with those of the author. Brimming with applications to an enormous variety of everyday situations, this book offers readers a fascinating, accessible introduction to one of the most fruitful and interesting intellectual systems of our time.