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.
Read MoreLike the general, a game player must recognize his interaction with other intelligent and purposive people. The essence of a game is the interdependence of player strategies. A general principle for a player in a sequential-move game is to look ahead and reason back.
Read MoreThe Nobel prize for economics was awarded on Monday to two US game theory specialists, 26 years after John Nash - the Princeton academic depicted by Russell Crowe in the 2001 film A Beautiful Mind - won for his groundbreaking work on the same subject.
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