How do groups form, how do institutions come into being, and when do moral norms and practices emerge? This volume explores how game-theoretic approaches can be extended to consider broader questions that cross scales of organization, from individuals to cooperatives to societies. Game theory' strategic formulation of central problems in the analysis of social interactions is used to develop multi-level theories that examine the interplay between individuals and the collectives they form. The concept of cooperation is examined at a higher level than that usually addressed by game theory, especially focusing on the formation of groups and the role of social norms in maintaining their integrity, with positive and negative implications. The authors suggest that conventional analyses need to be broadened to explain how heuristics, like concepts of fairness, arise and become formalized into the ethical principles embraced by a society.
Author(s): Steven A. Frank (auth.), Simon A. Levin (eds.)
Series: Springer Series in Game Theory
Edition: 1
Publisher: Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
Year: 2009
Language: English
Pages: 283
Tags: Game Theory/Mathematical Methods; Political Science; Evolutionary Biology
Front Matter....Pages i-xvi
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
Evolutionary Foundations of Cooperation and Group Cohesion....Pages 3-40
How to Evolve Cooperation....Pages 41-56
Beyond Enlightened Self-Interest: Social Norms, Other-Regarding Preferences, and Cooperative Behavior....Pages 57-78
Evolution, Cooperation, and Repeated Games....Pages 79-84
Public Good Games with Incentives: The Role of Reputation....Pages 85-103
Groups and Networks: Their Role in the Evolution of Cooperation....Pages 105-114
Front Matter....Pages 115-115
Evolution and Construction of Moral Systems....Pages 117-141
Games, Groups, Norms, and Societies....Pages 143-153
Evolutionary Theory and Cooperation in Everyday Life....Pages 155-168
The Error of God: Error Management Theory, Religion, and the Evolution of Cooperation....Pages 169-180
Moral Motivation....Pages 181-193
Explaining Religion: Notes Toward a Research Agenda....Pages 195-203
Front Matter....Pages 203-203
Building Trust to Solve Commons Dilemmas: Taking Small Steps to Test an Evolving Theory of Collective Action....Pages 207-228
How Democracy Resolves Conflict in Difficult Games....Pages 229-241
Two Strategic Issues in Apologizing....Pages 243-257
Neither Self-interest Nor Self-sacrifice: The Fraternal Morality of Market Relationships....Pages 259-283
