Best game theory books according to redditors
We found 41 Reddit comments discussing the best game theory books. We ranked the 21 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 41 Reddit comments discussing the best game theory books. We ranked the 21 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
>You are not ruining the economy by shopping there.
Well, yes, you are. Shopping at Wal-Mart is the same as defecting in the Prisoner's Dilemma problem, except with a gazillion players instead of two. By shopping there, you get some small gain for yourself at the expense of a net larger loss to the world at large (including you). It is pretty classic game theory.
Free markets in general are known to fail at that kind of choice: people tend to pick the path that yields personal short-term gain over collective benefit, even if the choice yields long-term ruin. In the case of environmental destruction, the costs are external to the system as a whole, and there are whole branches of economics discussing how to tweak the market to account for external costs of actions.
In the case of economic plundering (like Walmart engages in) the costs are internal to the eeconomy but are deferred and homogenized so that the cost to each individual isn't directly visible at the time of purchase -- one might call them "artificially externalized" costs.
Edit: I seem to be attracting a fair number of downvotes. I'll charitably assume they're not knee-jerk responses. Here are some some nice references: The Bully of Bentonville; Fishman's nice book on the Wal-Mart Effect; a nice documentary DVD; and Davis's fun pop-level introduction to game theory.
You are in a very special position right now where many interesing fields of mathematics are suddenly accessible to you. There are many directions you could head. If your experience is limited to calculus, some of these may look very strange indeed, and perhaps that is enticing. That was certainly the case for me.
Here are a few subject areas in which you may be interested. I'll link you to Dover books on the topics, which are always cheap and generally good.
Basically, don't limit yourself to the track you see before you. Explore and enjoy.
Your post has too little context/content for anyone to give you particularly relevant or specific advice. You should list what you know already and what you’re trying to learn. I find it’s easiest to research a new subject when I have a concrete problem I’m trying to solve.
But anyway, I’m going to assume you studied up through single variable calculus and are reasonably motivated to put some effort in with your reading. Here are some books which you might enjoy, depending on your interests. All should be reasonably accessible (to, say, a sharp and motivated undergraduate), but they’ll all take some work:
(in no particular order)
Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid (wikipedia)
To Mock a Mockingbird (wikipedia)
Structure in Nature is a Strategy for Design
Geometry and the Imagination
Visual Group Theory (website)
The Little Schemer (website)
Visual Complex Analysis (website)
Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos (website)
Music, a Mathematical Offering (website)
QED
Mathematics and its History
The Nature and Growth of Modern Mathematics
Proofs from THE BOOK (wikipedia)
Concrete Mathematics (website, wikipedia)
The Symmetries of Things
Quantum Computing Since Democritus (website)
Solid Shape
On Numbers and Games (wikipedia)
Street-Fighting Mathematics (website)
But also, you’ll probably get more useful response somewhere else, e.g. /r/learnmath. (On /r/math you’re likely to attract downvotes with a question like this.)
You might enjoy:
https://www.reddit.com/r/math/comments/2mkmk0/a_compilation_of_useful_free_online_math_resources/
https://www.reddit.com/r/mathbooks/top/?sort=top&t=all
It doesn’t seem to be grounded in philosophy. I would argue Jon Conways writings on games and numbers are a clear influence.
https://www.amazon.com/Numbers-Games-John-H-Conway/dp/1568811276
I can think of a few
Linear programming:
Combinatorial optimization:
Game theory:
Combinatorial game theory:
That depends on how basic you want to get. Game Theory 101 is as introductory as it gets but also avoids most of the deeper mathematical stuff that a subscriber of this subreddit might want. Fudenberg and Tirole is the standard text but is very complicated and expensive. There's also this open access textbook that I often recommend to my students.
Regardless of which way you go, you may find my Game Theory 101 lecture series useful.
Also, come join us on /r/gametheory!
Cardinal subtraction:
> k1-k2=k3 iff k1+k3 =k2
In this case, k1=k2 so we need to find the value(s) of k3 that don't change k1 when added. Unfortunately this includes all the finite numbers and k1. It does however give you a family of answers that satisfy the equation, so in a sense any answer you take from that set is correct. Maro can basically give any ruling and it won't "break math".
Once we get to Omnific Integers we can start to give nice answers (You can do similar things with Ordinals, but the math is not as nice since you don't have negatives among other things). The first infinity is ω, and:
> ω-ω=0.
In fact, the omnific integers satisfy all the basic laws of arithmetic. ω+1 > ω > ω - 1> 0 in this setting.
You can divide and multiply as well, so if I have ω+18 life and cast a [[Dire Fleet Ravager]], I will have ω/3+6 life after the effect resolves. Knuth wrote a small book about Surreal numbers, which are used to construct to construct the omnific integers. On numbers and games is a more in depth look at this number system.
You should work to improve your calculation skills. You could check out the book Misteaks. . . and how to find them before the teacher does. . ., which gives a detailed plan for how to do so.
The recommended text for the networks section of my complexity theory course is Networks: An Introduction by M.E.J. Newman. I haven't read it yet but the instructor spoke highly of it.
For game theory I'd recommend the Yale Open Course on Game Theory. You should be able to find a bunch of readings linked on the site.
Martin Nowak's book Supercooperators is also pretty interesting. It's a nice bridge between game theory and networks. It's nice because it focuses on evolutionary and spatial game theory which maps rather neatly onto network theory.
Samuel Bowles would also be a good place to start especially since it's a bit more economics oriented. He's doing some of the most interesting work on applying game theory to the evolution of social institutions.
There are also a number of game theory courses that come up regularly on coursera. i'm not sure if they'll be back in session over the summer but you can probably check.
Umm, just read any game theory textbook. Here are a few that discuss daily rewards and the research that support their conclusions.
https://www.amazon.com/Games-Theory-Applications-Dover-Mathematics/dp/0486432378
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1470422107/ref=s9_acsd_newrz_hd_bw_b3cY_c_x_5_w
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0691090394/ref=s9_acsd_topr_hd_bw_b3cY_c_x_3_w
I think this is, by far, the best Game Theory book around. But, I'm not sure it is really "an introduction to game theory".
This book is decent: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/79831.Games_and_Decisions
As is this (I think this is the one that I read): http://www.amazon.com/The-Mathematics-Games-Dover-Books/dp/0486449769
This is the absolutely best intro book on linear algebra I've ever experienced, plus it's cheap: http://amazon.com/dp/0822053314
Probability is easier IMO, so just about any book will do. This is my favorite since it covers just about everything quickly: http://amazon.com/dp/0486450376
If you're studying Mathematics and Computer Science I think you're already pretty good set up for Game Theory. Do you have some specific concerns? Otherwise I would recommend to start learning Game Theory and learn mathematical/statistical prerequisites when needed.
For an Introduction to Game Theory I can recommend
Oh, and a cheap plug for my uncle:
Misteaks. . . and how to find them before the teacher does. . .
You can't apply logic like that to determine left/right.
Left and right are just abstractions based on where parties sat in French parliament.
The book you need to read is Game Theory and Canadian Politics. It's more obvious in Canadian politics because of the multiple parties, but it applies to all countries.
There is no solid logical basis for either side. There are just various interest groups that form alliances in the hopes of winning power and getting their agenda through.
Each party is trying to form at 50%+1 coalition with as few opposing interests as possible.
Within each party different interest groups fight for more power. The party platforms reflect this. If you listen to primary speeches, you'll hear candidates try to appeal to each group.
Anyways the black block appeal to aging 60s activists who have romanticized their pasts and union people who wish they got to take part in strikes of the past that won major workers rights.
They are solidly in the left wing camp, even if it doesn't make any sense.
I don't think they have much influence.
But like social Darwinists on the right, it's the best fit for them even if none of their policies will ever be implemented.
I'm not in my office right now (and I can't recall from memory since it's not my main area), but the following book is quite nice, in my opinion:
http://www.amazon.com/Axiom-Choice-Lecture-Notes-Mathematics/dp/3540309896/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1422306222&sr=8-7&keywords=axiom+of+choice
It does a good job of keeping track of different levels of "choice" and which results follow (or are equivalent) to which levels.
> Are there key ideas and considerations when working with particular game mechanics? Are there any critical questions I should be asking myself before the game starts? While its underway?
There is a whole field of study based around these questions. If you don't mind a little reading try looking into Game Theory.
game theory online course
non-poker non-technical game theory book
Obviously MoP and AoNLHE are better more relevant.
This course was offered this semester.
For those curious, this course is about Combinatorial Game Theory, not Game Theory.
"Lessons in Play" was the textbook used this semester.
According to Horst Herrlich, "every vector space has a basis" is equivalent to AC.
> Opening Theory Made Easy
LOL I said $10 not $100!
http://www.amazon.com/Opening-Theory-Made-Easy-Principles/dp/4871870367/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405216740&sr=8-1&keywords=opening+theory+made+easy
Game Theory: A Nontechnical Introduction might be a good place to get started.
3A. http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/1dbd/?srp=1
3B. http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/f26d/?srp=15
3C. http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/1f9e/
4A. https://www.etsy.com/listing/124965957/modest-mouse-rock-band-hooded-sweatshirt
And... 9. http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/e97b/?srp=11
Or... 9. https://www.etsy.com/listing/206651799/cookies-for-santa-santa-plate-christmas (with homebakes yummies!)
You seem to have a similar taste in non-fiction to me. Here are a few more that I've either read or have been recommended to me.
The Undercover Economist
I.O.U Why Everyone Owes Everyone and No Once Can Pay
I heard this guy give a fascinating interview but his book is getting mixed reviews, I'm still tempted though...
Predictioneers-Game
If you're already interested in game design, then books on game theory might interest you. I read this one in college, but I see that now it's gotten pretty expensive.
Check your local library for something good. Being more concerned with theory than the latest hawtness means that your library might actually have some applicable texts!
Chaotic Elections by Donald Saari is pretty good. He loves the Borda Count procedure.
I've got a couple of weeks off work coming up, so I ordered 6 books off Amazon last night to keep me out of trouble:
I started with Anatol Rapoport's Two Person Game Theory. It's a bit out of date, and covers only the very basics, but it's very readable and motivates the crucial concepts very well.
You might dig this book:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0486406822/
I disagree; I think there is a need to be a dick about it, because you wrote this:
>I feel like there’s a thread of Democrats who just don’t understand the Prisoner’s Dillema at all.
Not only does this comment carry a superior tone, it's also wrong. r/politics is full of amateurs--many of whom are teenagers--who think they're experts in law, politics, and economics. They all congratulate each other for "getting it" when there are people who actually study these things. It is the acme of ignorance.
Game theory is math-intensive, and there is probably no way around that once you get past the oversimplified models. But this book seems to give a reasonable explanation without being too rigorous [1]. I haven't read that one. But Fudenberg and Tirole's text on game theory is often considered the standard.
https://www.amazon.com/Game-Theory-Nontechnical-Introduction-Mathematics/dp/0486296725
Game Theory: A Nontechnical Introduction
I'm a Statistics student, so naturally, I love the idea of applying numbers and statistics to decision making. I find the book fascinating.
Look kid, I know that politics seems interesting to you. But mathematical game theory is how adults play politics.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_theory
http://www.amazon.com/Political-Game-Theory-Introduction-Analytical/dp/0521841070
http://www.amazon.com/Theory-Political-Scientists-James-Morrow/dp/0691034303
http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=UyMXon0JmBsC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=game+theory+politics&ots=A6enCFbut3&sig=Q1bZCn7AUDH3C2W7qczOXbo1X6M#v=onepage&q=game%20theory%20politics&f=false
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract;jsessionid=994ECBF78CFF765C0B302FDAA2A07BB9.journals?fromPage=online&aid=7631624
Now, I have a feeling you're the troll. Do you understand why you need partners in game theory and why you need to have cooperation? Cooperative action is more important than having a specific bill without the ability to pass it.
Politics is a give and take. You pander/trade/scheme/steal/lie/cheat/win. That's how you play. This is why you use Game Theory. If Obama would fucking tat back, the Republicans would have to be on their toes. Warren is tatting. That's a good strategy.