Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-02T18:20:55.085Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Informal Game Theory in Hume's Account of Convention

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 December 2008

Peter Vanderschraaf
Peter Vanderschraaf
Affiliation:
Carnegie Mellon University
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Hume is rightly credited with giving a brilliant, and perhaps the best, account of justice as convention. Hume's importance as a forerunner of modern economics has also long been recognized. However, most of Hume's readers have not fully appreciated how closely Hume's analysis of convention foreshadows a particular branch of economic theory, namely, game theory. Starting with the work of Barry (1965), Runciman and Sen (1965) and Lewis (1969), there has been a flowering of literature on the informal game-theoretic insights to be found in classics of political philosophy such as Hobbes (1651), Locke (1690), Hume (1740) and Rousseau (1755). A number of authors in this tradition, including Lewis (1969), Gauthier (1979), Mackie (1980), and Postema (1995), have identified passages in Hume which they interpret as giving informal examples of specific games. Yet, unlike his predecessors, Hobbes and Locke, Hume does much more than present examples which have a game-theoretic structure. In his account of convention, Hume gives general conditions which characterize the resolution of social interaction problems, and in the examples he uses to illustrate this account, Hume outlines several different methods by which agents can arrive at such a resolution. Hume's general account of convention and his explanations of the origins of particular conventions together constitute a theory of strategic interaction, which is precisely what game theory aspires to be.

Type
Essays
Information
Economics & Philosophy , Volume 14 , Issue 2 , October 1998 , pp. 215 - 247
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1998

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aumann, Robert. 1987. ‘Correlated equilibrium as an expression of Bayesian rationality’. Econometrica, 55:1–18CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Aumann, Robert. 1995. ‘Backward induction and common knowledge of rationality’. Games and Economic Behavior, 8:6–19CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Axelrod, Robert. 1981. ‘The emergence of cooperation among egoists’. American Political Science Review, 75:306–18CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Axelrod, Robert. 1984. The Evolution of Cooperation. Basic Books, Inc.Google Scholar
Barry, Brian. 1965. Political Argument. University of California PressGoogle Scholar
Bicchieri, Cristina. 1993. Rationality and Coordination. Cambridge University PressGoogle Scholar
Binmore, Ken. 1982. ‘Perfect equilibria in bargaining models’. International Centre for Economics and Related Disciplines, London School of Economics. Discussion Paper 82/58Google Scholar
Binmore, Ken. 1992. Fun and Games: A Text on Game Theory. D. C. Heath and CompanyGoogle Scholar
Braithwaite, Richard. [1954] 1963. Theory of Games as a Tool for the Moral Philosopher. Cambridge University PressGoogle Scholar
Brandenburger, Adam and Dekel, Eddie. 1988. ‘The Role of Common Knowledge Assumptions in Game Theory’. In The Economics of Missing Markets, Information and Games, pp. 46–61. Hahn, Frank (ed.). The Clarendon PressGoogle Scholar
Crawford, Vincent. 1995. ‘Theory and experiment in the analysis of strategic interaction’. Discussion Paper 95–137. Department of Economics, University of California at San DiegoGoogle Scholar
Dekel, Eddie and Gul, Faruk. 1997. ‘Rationality and Knowledge in Game Theory’. In Advances in Economics and Econometrics: Theory and Applications, Seventh World Congress, Vol. I, pp. 87–172. Econometric Society Monographs No. 27. Kreps, David and Wallis, Ken (eds.). Cambridge University PressCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fudenberg, Drew and Kreps, David. 1988. ‘A theory of learning, experimentation and equilibrium in games’. Mimeo. Stanford UniversityGoogle Scholar
Fudenberg, Drew and Levine, David. 1997. Theory of Learning in Games. MIT PressGoogle Scholar
Fudenberg, Drew and Tirole, Jean. 1991. Game Theory. MIT PressGoogle Scholar
Gauthier, David. 1974. ‘Rational cooperation’. Nous, 8:53–65CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gauthier, David. 1979. ‘David Hume: contractarian’. Philosophical Review, 88:3–38CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gauthier, David. 1986. Morals By Agreement. Clarendon PressGoogle Scholar
Grotius, Hugo. [1625] 1925. De Jure Belli ac Pads Libri Tres or The Law of War and Peace. Trans. Kelsey, F. W.. Clarendon PressGoogle Scholar
Harrison, Jonathan. 1980. Hume's Theory of justice. Clarendon PressGoogle Scholar
Harsanyi, John and Selten, Reinhard. 1988. A General Theory of Equilibrium Selection in Games. MIT PressGoogle Scholar
Hobbes, Thomas. [1651] 1991. Leviathan. Tuck, Richard (ed.). Cambridge University PressGoogle Scholar
Hume, David. [1740, 1888] 1976. A Treatise of Human Nature. Selby-Bigge, L. A. (ed.). Rev. 2nd. edn. P. H. Nidditch (ed.). Clarendon PressGoogle Scholar
Hume, David. [1741–1742, 1777, 1889] 1985. ‘Of the Original Contract’. In Essays Moral, Political and Literary, pp. 465–87. Miller, Eugene F. (ed.). Liberty ClassicsGoogle Scholar
Hume, David. [1777,1888] 1975. An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals. Selby-Bigge, L. A. (ed.). Rev. 3rd. edn. P. H. Nidditch (ed.). Clarendon PressGoogle Scholar
Jeffrey, Richard. 1983. The Logic of Decision. 2nd edn.University of Chicago PressGoogle Scholar
Kalai, Ehud and Smorodinsky, M.. 1975. ‘Other solutions to Nash's bargaining problem’. Econometrica, 16:29–56Google Scholar
Kavka, Gregory. 1986. Hobbesian Moral and Political Theory. Princeton University PressGoogle Scholar
Kuhn, Harold. 1953. ‘Extensive Games and the Problem of Information’. In Contributions to the Theory of Games, Vol. 2, pp. 193–198. Kuhn, H. and Tucker, A. W. (eds.). Princeton: Annals of Mathematics Studies, No. 28Google Scholar
Locke, John. [1690] 1988. The Second Treatise of Government. Student edn. Laslett, Peter (eds.). Cambridge University PressGoogle Scholar
Lewis, David. 1969. Convention: A Philosophical Study. Harvard University PressGoogle Scholar
Luce, R. Duncan and Raiffa, Howard. 1957. Games and Decisions: Introduction and Critical Survey. John Wiley and SonsGoogle Scholar
Mackie, J. L. 1980. Hume's Moral Theory. Routledge and Keegan PaulGoogle Scholar
Maynard Smith, John. 1982. Evolution and the Theory of Games. Cambridge University PressCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mehta, Judith, Starmer, Chris and Sugden, Robert. 1994. ‘Focal points in pure coordination games: an experimental investigation’. Theory and Decision, 36:163–85Google Scholar
Nash, John. 1950 a. Non-cooperative games. Ph.D. Dissertation. Princeton UniversityGoogle Scholar
Nash, John. 1950 b. ‘Equilibrium points in n-person games’. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States, 36:48–9Google Scholar
Nash, John. 1950 c. ‘The bargaining problem’. Econometrica, 18:155–62CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nash, John. 1951. ‘Non-cooperative games’. Annals of Mathematics, 54:286–95CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nash, John. 1953. ‘Two-person cooperative games’. Econometrica, 21:128–40Google Scholar
Postema, Gerald. 1995. ‘Morality in the first person plural’. Law and Philosophy, 14:35–64CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Quine, Willard. [1936] 1983. ‘Truth By Convention’. In Philosophy of Mathematics: Selected Readings, 329–54. 2nd edn.Benacerraf, Paul and Putnam, Hilary (eds.). Cambridge University PressGoogle Scholar
Raiffa, Howard. 1953. ‘Arbitration Schemes for Generalized Two-Person Games’. In Contributions to the Theory of Games, Vol. 2, 361–87. Kuhn, H. and Tucker, A. W. (eds.). Princeton: Annals of Mathematics Studies, No. 28Google Scholar
Ramsey, Frank. [1926] 1931. ‘Truth and Probability’. In The Foundations of Mathematics and Other Essays, pp. 156–98. Braithwaite, R. B. (ed.). Harcourt BraceGoogle Scholar
Rousseau, Jean Jacques. [1755] 1913. ‘Discourse on the Inequality of Man’. In Rousseau's Social Contract and Discourses, 157–246. Cole, G. (ed.). J. M. SentGoogle Scholar
Rubenstein, Ariel. 1982. ‘Perfect equilibrium in a bargaining model’. Econometrica, 50:97–109CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Runciman, W. G. and Sen, Arartya K.. 1965. ‘Games, justice and the general will’. Mind, 74:554–62Google Scholar
Russell, Bertrand. 1921. The Analysis of Mind. Allen and UnwinGoogle Scholar
Schelling, Thomas. 1960. The Strategy of Conflict. Harvard University PressGoogle Scholar
Selten, Reinhard. 1965. ‘Spieltheoretische Behandlung eines Oligipolmodells mit Nachfragtragheit’. In Zeitschrift für die gesamte Staatswissenschaft, 121:301–4, 667–89Google Scholar
Selten, Reinhard. 1975. ‘Reexamination of the perfectness concept of equilibrium in extensive games’. International Journal of Game Theory, 4:25–55CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shubik, Martin. 1982. Game Theory in the Social Sciences. MIT PressGoogle Scholar
Skyrms, Brian. 1990. The Dynamics of Rational Deliberation. Harvard University PressGoogle Scholar
Skyrms, Brian. 1998. ‘The Shadow of the Future’. In Rational Commitment and Social Justice: Essays for Gregory Kavka, pp. 12–22. Coleman, Jules and Morris, Christopher (eds.). Cambridge University PressGoogle Scholar
Skyrms, Brian and Vanderschraaf, Peter. 1996. ‘Game Theory’. Unpublished manuscriptGoogle Scholar
Sobel, Jordan Howard. 1994. Taking Chances: Essays on Rational Choice. Cambridge University PressGoogle Scholar
Vanderschraaf, Peter. 1995. ‘Convention as correlated equilibrium’. Erkenntnis, 42:65–87Google Scholar
Vanderschraaf, Peter. 1996. ‘The Farmers' Dilemma and Conventions of Economic Exchange’. Unpublished manuscriptGoogle Scholar
von Neumann, John and Morgenstern, Oskar. 1944. Theory of Games and Economic Behavior. Princeton University PressGoogle Scholar
Weibull, Jörgen. 1995. Evolutionary Game Theory. MIT PressGoogle Scholar
Zermelo, Ernst. 1913. ‘Über eine Anwendung der Mengenlehre auf die theorie des Schachspiels’. Proceedings, Fifth International Congress of Mathematicians, 2:501–4Google Scholar