As more
mathematical books are required for us to read, the more I expect that the next
one will be more interesting and fun. And, my expectations were met.
Basically, we judge the book by its
cover. We imagine a whole bunch of story lines that could possibly reflect in
the book’s pages. Rock, Paper, Scissors. I used to play this when I was a child
with my older brother. And yes, he wins every time. I expected that the book
will discuss more about mathematical logic. To start with, I was a bit right
about my presumptions.
The book started with a very
friendly manner. I, as the reader, was not bombarded with heavy math and heavy
logic. The flow was just enjoyable. It informs the reader what game theory is
in such a way that one can think it is applicable to all fields in the
intellectual and in the practical world. Basically, I learned that it is all
about logic and strategies. However, one striking line that caught my attention
in the first chapter was “When
both sides use the same logic, however, there is never going to be any peace in
this world.” My thought about this was political, to be honest. The author then
explains that he sticks with the Nash equilibrium. It is about bad outcomes and
how to get rid of it. As I read that part, it was where my adventure with this
book started.
Reading through the next chapter, the author introduced
the concept of fairness. He reiterated that fairness is innate in us as well as
in other life forms. He was creative enough since his technique in this chapter
is that he shares his personal experiences for the reader to be able to relate
and agree with his points. He then introduced the principle of minimax which is
defined in the book as “minimizing your maximum possible loss”. Thus, I have
deduced that the title of the chapter “I Cut and You Choose” lies on the
principle of minimax since I will be the one to strategize the fair division so
as if one chooses a pile, I am rest assured that we will have the same gain.
With this, I believe that the author was indeed clever in setting examples so
as the readers can interact with the flow of the book, thus, enjoying the whole
thing. Shortly in chapter 3, the author discussed the 7 deadly dilemmas and
summarized these problems as to how it exists and what are their consequences
in return. However, the chapter ended with a generalization that the main point
in all these dilemmas is how individuals with different beliefs coordinate without
changing their personal principles.
Now all I thought was that the title of the book wasn’t
the game the will be discussed. I thought that it was just a representation of
what the book is about – games and game theories. However, in chapter 4, the
author investigated the nature of the game rock, paper, scissors. It was really
amazing to think that as grown-ups, we all would likely think that the game we
used to play when we were young was nonsense. However, the concept of this game
ranges to professionals on decision-making. I can deduce from the whole chapter
that the peculiarity of this game lies on the fact that it is not characterized
by a strategy. Thus, it is nature that maintains the balance in the game, the
same way as nature maintains balance in the ecosystem. This concept was said to
be beneficial when applied to other games with various problems.
Chapters 5, 6 and 7 further continue to discuss about
cooperation. Indeed, the author had successfully written the chapters in a
creative and adaptable way. In this part of the book, I was able to interconnect
communication, commitment, negotiation, coalition and other subjects that have
been discussed to a united point as a whole. Also, deep understanding was
achieved when the author offered brilliant examples such as those communication
ways practiced by various organisms as well as common social practices that include
coalition and commitment. Furthermore, with his examples, I was able to
conclude the fact that these subjects were viewed differently by game
theorists. In the latter part, coordination is indeed a key to some principles
in the Nash equilibrium. Through coordination, strategies can be discussed to
come up and achieve a common goal. Also, it was stated that one could not get
out of a trap once he/she uses a different strategy. As for my reflection to
this, in the concept of the game theory, we could not only apply these
principles in common math and logic but also to communities and social
practices outside and inside the academe. It is really overwhelming to know
that in every decision made by a group in a research team or other meetings,
game theory unconsciously lies.
The book ended as it deals on changing the nature of the
game by introducing new players. Moreover, it has discussed the inclusion of
computers as well as the quantum game theory. Quantum game theory, as stated in
the book is futuristic and could possibly eradicate the problems in
cooperation. Also, the book concluded with tips for individuals to make
difference.
For me, what makes the book unique is its analytical and
logical approach to game theory. I myself am always fascinated with strategies
and techniques since my older brother used to teach me some of those. Moreover,
the book has maintained its substance throughout the coverage of my reading.
Information-wise, it is an efficient tool for game theorists as well as
individuals to learn logic and principles behind various interactions.
No comments:
Post a Comment