War is not a game, but we should play it like one
War is not a game, but we should play it like one
War is not a game, but we should play it like one
By Frank Zagare
April 11, 2023
Summary
A branch of mathematical thinking named 'game theory' can help us understand relationships between warring states, and how to best navigate them, by treating their interactions as 'games'.
Games can run the gamut from lighthearted diversions such as a board game to very serious interactions up to and including war.
In game theory a rational player is simply a purposeful player.
Players in a game can have just about any goal including those that a game theorist might consider fanciful, misguided, or immoral.
What can the mathematical theory of games tell us about the great issues of foreign affairs? Game theory is a tool and like any other tool it can be used wisely or misused.
In game theory a rational player is simply a purposeful player To overcome the logical inconsistency of the standard theory, I have constructed an alternative specification that insists that the players are rational at all times.
The strength of using a game model to understand human behavior, at the interpersonal, the inter-group, or the inter-state level is that, unlike loosely stated arguments that favor or oppose a particular policy recommendation, the logical structure of a game model is transparent.
Reference
Zagare, F. (2023, April 11). War is not a game, but we should play it like one. IAI TV - Changing how the world thinks. Retrieved May 5, 2023, from https://iai.tv/articles/war-is-not-a-game-but-we-should-play-it-like-one-frank-zagare-auid-2448