Games: you just lost
Akanksha Vyas
Issue date: 3/8/10 Section: News
What are you thinking, that I am thinking, that you are thinking, that I am thinking? Confused?
In the last Science Café, Clarkson University Assistant Professor of Economic & Financial Studies Luciana Echazu started her presentation with just this, as she discussed the introductory concepts of game theory. She went on to answer the fundamental question, what is a game? According to her, games can be played against one person, many people, or even against oneself. Games don't necessarily need to have a winner or loser. Sometimes, the winner actually loses.
To demonstrate the concept of a game, she showed the audience a clip from the movie, The Princess and the Frog, which she described as "a movie of adventure, true love and games."
She went on to explain to the audience the difference between simultaneous and sequential games. She gave a very basic description, explaining that during a sequential game, the players play by turn and thus have some knowledge about each other's moves. In simultaneous games on the other hand, players have to anticipate each other's moves.
For her next demonstration, she asked for audience participation, bribing them with candy. She used this game to try and demonstrate how personal relationships between the players affect their decisions. However, in this case the relationships between the players did not affect the result of the game at all.
Next on her agenda was the "Prisoners Dilemma." She gave a brief description of the concept behind it using visual aids. She went on to discuss John Nash and the movie A Beautiful Mind. With this she introduced the audience to "The Nash Equilibrium."
She concluded the evening with another game, where the entire audience participated. Actually, to be more accurate, the audience was given an option about whether they wanted to participate or not.
She handed out a piece of paper to the audience and asked them to put an 'X' if they wanted to participate and leave it blank if they did not. It was her little game with the audience. However, she was outsmarted by a child who put a circle on his paper.
Ultimately, the presentation gave a elementary introduction to the concepts of game theory.
In the last Science Café, Clarkson University Assistant Professor of Economic & Financial Studies Luciana Echazu started her presentation with just this, as she discussed the introductory concepts of game theory. She went on to answer the fundamental question, what is a game? According to her, games can be played against one person, many people, or even against oneself. Games don't necessarily need to have a winner or loser. Sometimes, the winner actually loses.
To demonstrate the concept of a game, she showed the audience a clip from the movie, The Princess and the Frog, which she described as "a movie of adventure, true love and games."
She went on to explain to the audience the difference between simultaneous and sequential games. She gave a very basic description, explaining that during a sequential game, the players play by turn and thus have some knowledge about each other's moves. In simultaneous games on the other hand, players have to anticipate each other's moves.
For her next demonstration, she asked for audience participation, bribing them with candy. She used this game to try and demonstrate how personal relationships between the players affect their decisions. However, in this case the relationships between the players did not affect the result of the game at all.
Next on her agenda was the "Prisoners Dilemma." She gave a brief description of the concept behind it using visual aids. She went on to discuss John Nash and the movie A Beautiful Mind. With this she introduced the audience to "The Nash Equilibrium."
She concluded the evening with another game, where the entire audience participated. Actually, to be more accurate, the audience was given an option about whether they wanted to participate or not.
She handed out a piece of paper to the audience and asked them to put an 'X' if they wanted to participate and leave it blank if they did not. It was her little game with the audience. However, she was outsmarted by a child who put a circle on his paper.
Ultimately, the presentation gave a elementary introduction to the concepts of game theory.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Worlds Hardest Game
posted 4/12/10 @ 8:31 PM EST
I hate when people play these types of games with each other. It is so annoying.
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