History Of Game Theory, Volume 1

Game Theory - the formal modelling of conflict and cooperation - first emerged as a recognized field with a publication of John von Neumann and Oskar Morgenstern's Theory of Games and Economic Behaviourin 1944. Since then, game-theoretic thinking about choice of strategies and the interdependence of people's actions has influenced all the social sciences. However, little is known about the history of the theory of strategic games prior to this publicationIn this volume, the history of strategic games - from its origins up to 1945 - is traced through the work of* 19th Century economists such as Cournot and Edgewort* Voting theorists - including Lewis Carrol* Conflict theorists - Richardson and Lancheste* Probabilists such as Bertrand, Borel and Vill* Later economists - notably Stackelberg and ZeutheThis authoritative account of the history of game theory concludes with a historical perspective on the achievement of von Neumann and Morgenstern, and an appraisal of the reception of their book.