Economic and Game Theory
Interesting Stuff
General interest material about game theory and related topics.
An overview of Game
Theory. Readings on
Game
Theory.
Questions about economic or game theory? Try the forum.
Intellectual
Property (with Michele Boldrin);
check out the bibliography.
Play a game: challenge the on-line forecaster, engage in the cooperative learning game or solve a
game using the zero-sum game solver.
Commentary
In Memoriam June 24, 2008: Leo Hurwicz:
From Eric Maskin
Leo made seminal contributions to economics. In particular, he created the modern theory of mechanism design, the study of economic and political institutions for achieving society's goals. For this work he received the U.S. National Medal of Science in 1990 and shared the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics in 2007, among many other honors. He was also an institution designer in the practical sense: he bears major responsibility for turning the Economics Department at the University of Minnesota into one of the great departments of the world. Full ObituaryLeo was my colleague when I taught at the University of Minesota, and his reputation as a kind and gentle man is well deserved. He was a leader in the best sense of the word: he led by example. [Posted at 07/31/2008 07:54 AM by David K. Levine
]Against Intellectual Monopoly:
Michele's and my book about copyrights and patents from Cambridge University Press is out. You can order it on Amazon or the publisher Cambridge University Press It will remain available online. We argue that the only solution to the problem of intellectual monopoly is to get rid of it entirely.
[Posted at 07/11/2008 02:20 PM by David K. Levine ]
Against Intellectual Monopoly:
Against Intellectual Monopoly Michele's and my book about copyrights and patents from Cambridge University Press is available for pre-order from Amazon. It will remain available online. We argue that the only solution to the problem of intellectual monopoly is to get rid of it entirely.
[Posted at 06/09/2008 09:23 AM by David K. Levine ]
Against Intellectual Monopoly:
Hopefully the final version of Michele's and my book Against Intellectual Monopoly is available on line. We argue that the only solution to the problem of intellectual monopoly is to get rid of it entirely. It is in production at Cambridge University Press and should appear in bookstores this summer.
[Posted at 01/07/2008 07:34 AM by David K. Levine ]
Experimental Economics:
Some ramblings here.
[Posted at 12/27/2007 09:59 AM by David K. Levine ]
My Other Life: Via Christian Zimmerman
]
Mechanism Design:
"information about individual preferences and available production technologies is usually dispersed among many actors who may use their private information to further their own interests. Mechanism design theory, initiated by Leonid Hurwicz and further developed by Eric Maskin and Roger Myerson, has greatly enhanced our understanding of the properties of optimal allocation mechanisms in such situations, accounting for individuals' incentives and private information. The theory allows us to distinguish situations in which markets work well from those in which they do not. It has helped economists identify efficient trading mechanisms, regulation schemes and voting procedures. Today, mechanism design theory plays a central role in many areas of economics and parts of political science." announcement here
[Posted at 10/15/2007 06:06 AM by David K. Levine ]
Worth Taking a Look:
A new creative commons freely redistributable journal in economics - economics.
[Posted at 03/14/2007 06:14 AM by David K. Levine ]
Against Intellectual Monopoly:
The latest and newest version of Michele's and my book Against Intellectual Monopoly is available on line. We argue that the only solution to the problem of intellectual monopoly is to get rid of it entirely.
[Posted at 01/23/2007 11:10 AM by David K. Levine ]
Video recollections of Jack Hirshleifer:
Now available on line: video of our recollections of Jack at the Hirshleifer conference:
first part,
second part,
third part
(note: these files are quite large around 200M)
[Posted at 06/12/2006 03:15 PM by David K. Levine ]
Moving:
I am leaving the faculty at UCLA to join the faculty at Washington University in St. Louis at the end of June. It is with sadness that I leave UCLA where I have taught for 25 years and all my great friends and colleagues in Los Angeles. I warn all of you that you will probably not be able to escape me entirely. It is with excitement that I look forward to coming to Washington University and my great friends and new colleagues in St. Louis.
[Posted at 05/05/2006 05:29 PM by David K. Levine ]
Interview on Experimental Economics:
Christian Zimmermann interviewed me for the Economic Dynamics newsletter. The interview is primarily about experimental economics and the role of endogenous interpersonal preferences.
[Posted at 05/03/2006 10:44 AM by David K. Levine ]
New Blog About IP Related Issues:
Go to http://www.againstmonopoly.org for our latest postings on how monopoly inhibits innovation and how to protect innovation.
[Posted at 04/23/2006 06:36 AM by David K. Levine ]
New: Research Paper Podcasts:
Get 'em at http://www.dklevine.com/papers.htm
[Posted at 03/29/2006 02:39 PM by David K. Levine ]
Hirshleifer Conference:
The Conference in Honor of Jack Hirshleifer took place as scheduled Friday-Saturday March 10-11, 2006 at UCLA. The complete program as well as most of the papers are available at the conference website. We had a great turnout, many great presentations, and shared fine memories of Jack. We videotaped the remembrances of Jack and hope to make the video available soon.
[Posted at 03/28/2006 09:57 AM by David K. Levine ]
Open Access in Economic Theory:
The first issue of Theoretical Economics is out. We aim to become the best specialty journal in economic theory. Vote for us.
[Posted at 03/03/2006 08:36 PM by David K. Levine ]
Careful what you wish for department:
John Thorne, a Verizon senior vice president and deputy general counsel is demanding the right to charge Google for using the Verizon network. But does he think he is going to charge Google - or is Google going to charge him for letting his network carry Google? Do owners of movie theaters charge movie producers for allowing movies to be shown in their theaters? Would you pay more or less for a Verizon internet service that didn't have Google on it? Imagine the ad campaign: "Buy Verizon - we don't offer Google."
[Posted at 02/07/2006 06:33 PM by David K. Levine ]
Hirshleifer Conference:
A Conference in Honor of Jack Hirshleifer will take place Friday-Saturday March 10-11, 2006 at UCLA. Details at the conference website.
[Posted at 01/24/2006 01:56 PM by David K. Levine ]
Sony-BMG: The Sony-BMG fiasco has demolished one argument for obtaining music legally rather than illegally over P2P networks. The RIAA advises against using file sharing networks because "file-sharers’ computers are vulnerable to
the viruses infecting other machines on the P2P networks." Leaving aside just how great this vulnerability is - F-Secure reports that there are no viruses to infect MP3 audio files - Sony-BMG has handily demolished this argument by planting its own malware on users computers.
[Posted at 11/29/2005 05:46 PM by David K. Levine ]
Scott Freeman:
If you would like to learn more about Scott and his work, Preston McAfee has created a nice site in his honor.
[Posted at 10/12/2005 12:39 PM by David K. Levine ]
Against Intellectual Monopoly:
Updated versions of the first six eight chapters now online.
[Posted at 09/26/2005 12:05 PM by David K. Levine ]
Theoretical Economics:
Now taking submissions. We aim to become the best specialty journal in economic theory. Here are some photos Ariel Rubinstein took of our secret meeting in London.
[Posted at 08/04/2005 10:25 AM by David K. Levine ]
In Memoriam Jack Hirshleifer:
July 26, 2005. Memories of Jack.
[Posted at 07/26/2005 10:29 AM by David K. Levine ]The Microsoft Thought Police:
In the war on thought thieves thought police must be the logical next step.
[Posted at 05/14/2005 10:57 AM by David K. Levine ]
Theoretical Economics:
A new very serious open access journal in economic theory. We aim to become the best specialty journal in economic theory.
[Posted at 03/31/2005 05:24 PM by David K. Levine ]
In Memoriam Gerard Debreu:
Dec 31, 2004.
[Posted at 01/22/2005 08:10 AM by David K. Levine ]It's Not Rush Limbaugh:
But if you want to learn about game theory, check out The Leonard Lopate Show's "Games People Play" with Steven Brams a political scientist at NYU and me. The Real Player audio stream is here.
[Posted at 01/14/2005 03:57 PM by David K. Levine ]
Has Disney bought the courts along with congress:
Updated Tuesday October 25: An essay on Mickey Mouse and the economics of retroactive copyright.
[Posted at 10/14/2004 10:47 AM by David K. Levine ]
Ed Prescott and Finn Kydland
"for their contributions to dynamic macroeconomics: the time consistency of economic policy and the driving forces behind business cycles;" I would have said: for instituting intellectual discipline and remaking modern macroeconomics into the form it has today. More information about Kydland and Prescott's work. Here are Matthias Doepke's pictures from the party at the Minneapolis fed. Here's a picture of Ed and Finn with the President.
[Posted at 10/11/2004 06:53 AM by David K. Levine ]
New:
Read the reviews of game theory texts.
[Posted at 07/01/2004 04:11 PM by David K. Levine ]
Read the latest on intellectual property:
Drafts of the first four chapters of Michele Boldrin's and my new book Against Intellectual Monopoly is available online. Information about my public lecture at Chinese U. Why "intellectual property" is not property. Check out the new IP
Bibliography. More stuff about intellectual property and intellectual monopoly (with Michele Boldrin).
[Posted at 05/24/2004 09:34 PM by David K. Levine ]
Hot economics on the internet:
Economic Theory News lightly screened listing of the latest research in economic theory, NAJ Economics peer reviewed publication on the web
[Posted at 05/23/2004 02:14 PM by David K. Levine ]
Experimental economics:
CASSEL the greatest social science
experimental laboratory in the world; NSF information
about human subjects research. Information for UCLA social scientists doing human subject research. Addendum 1/31/2005: The NSF site seems to have vanished. Information about the CASSEL experience with human subjects regulation can be found here. Further Addendum 1/3/2006: no one was using the hs.sscnet.ucla.edu site so it has been taken off line. However, the NSF site has reappeared here
[Posted at 05/22/2004 02:16 PM by David K. Levine ]
A subtle bias:
Why
"intellectual property" is not property
[Posted at 10/01/2003 04:05 PM by David K. Levine ]
Who
is this man, and what did he win?
] Your government at work:
Why the SSSCA is Wrong
[Posted at 03/01/2002 04:07 PM by David K. Levine ]
Microsoft at work:
All hail the Borg
[Posted at 12/01/2001 04:13 PM by David K. Levine ]
Your government at work:
Games schools districts play;
if you are interested in applications of game theory to school choice
have a look at Tayfun
Sönmez's work on the subject.
[Posted at 05/01/2001 04:12 PM by David K. Levine ]
Anthropologists at work:
While
you are boycotting rogue
journals, you might want to combat a scientific
hoax by giving W.W. Norton and the New Yorker a miss as
well.
(Thank heavens economists are so much more civilized than
anthropologists.)
[Posted at 12/31/1969 04:00 PM by David K. Levine ]
Science at work:
Additional
statement prepared for the NSF visitors committee
[Posted at 10/02/2000 04:19 PM by David K. Levine ]
The RIAA at work:
Why Napster is Right (with
Michele Boldrin)
[Posted at 10/01/2000 04:16 PM by David K. Levine ]
All about game theory:
Cognitive Science Encyclopedia submission
on game theory [revised June 2001]
[Posted at 10/01/2000 12:17 PM by David K. Levine ]
Economist at work:
"Dynamics in Games" [August
2000]:
Slides from a series of lectures given at Trieste Italy for
graduate students in Physics about learning and evolutionary theory and
their role in economic dynamics.
[Posted at 08/25/2000 04:25 PM by David K. Levine ]
Economist at work:
Transcript from a talk
given at the Central Bank of Uruguay about evolutionary game
theory the evolution of altruism, spite and punishment, and
the role of imitation as contrasted with mutation.
[Posted at 08/01/2000 04:24 PM by David K. Levine ]
New campaign:
Joined Ted Bergstrom in his campaign to stamp out rogue journals.
[Posted at 02/02/2000 09:49 AM by David K. Levine ]
Science at work:
Statement prepared for the NSF visitors
committee explaining the benefits of NSF spending on research in
economics [February 2000]
[Posted at 02/01/2000 04:18 PM by David K. Levine ]
Careful now:
Added the dangers of
forecasting.
[Posted at 01/29/2000 09:51 AM by David K. Levine ]
Questions:
Started the forum. This is
a game and economic theory message board system for discussing
questions about the theory and i's applications.
[Posted at 01/01/2000 09:53 AM by David K. Levine ]
A great UCLA economist:
Jack Hirshleifer
[Posted at 05/25/1999 04:22 PM by David K. Levine ]
Game theory:
What is it?
[Posted at 05/25/1999 04:21 PM by David K. Levine ]
Armen Alchian:
Added information about Armen A. Alchian and the Armen Alchian Chair in Economics
[Posted at 03/31/1998 10:17 AM by David K. Levine ]
New section:
Added a new section with commentary on economic and
methodological problems and issues.
[Posted at 03/06/1998 10:18 AM by David K. Levine ]
Economist at work:
"Learning and Evolution in Games"
(with Drew Fudenberg) [July 1996]: Essay about research on
learning in games based on a plenary talk at the Econometric
Society summer meetings.
[Posted at 07/01/1996 04:26 PM by David K. Levine ]
Economist at work:
"Learning in Games"[June
1996]: Presentation for computer scientists on what problems in
game theory motivate economists to be interested in learning.
[Posted at 06/05/1996 04:27 PM by David K. Levine ]
Economist at work:
"Remarks on Evolution and Learning"[September
1995]: Discussion at World Econometric Society Meetings of review
papers on evolution and learning on games
[Posted at 09/01/1995 04:29 PM by David K. Levine ]
Economist at work:
"Harsanyi, Nash and Selten" [June
1995]:
Abstract of a lecture about the work of these Nobel Prize winners
in Economics.
[Posted at 06/10/1995 04:28 PM by David K. Levine ]
Econometrics at work:
Let's put the econ back into econometrics 1:
Commentary: A 500 batting average is pretty good, right?
[Posted at 05/25/1994 04:30 PM by David K. Levine ]
Econometrics at work:
Let's put the econ back into econometrics 2:
Commentary: A sample of size 100 is large?
[Posted at 05/24/1994 04:30 PM by David K. Levine ]
Good Quotations
"Practical
men, who believe themselves to be quite exempt from any
intellectual influences, are usually the slaves of some defunct
economist." John Maynard Keynes
"everything which
[was] not permitted [was] forbidden. . . . [W]hatever [was] permitted
[was] mandatory. . . . Citizens were shackled in their actions by the
universal passion for banning things." Boris Yeltsin
"People
of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and
diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the
public, or in some contrivance to raise prices." Adam
Smith
"The
Americans love Pepsi-Cola, we love death." Maulana Inyadullah;
"Well, it's January and I'm drinking a Pepsi and Mr. Inyadullah
is probably dead. So...the war had a happy ending for everyone." oldmanmurray.com
"If
our biggest problem in Germany is whether our chancellor dyes his
hair, then things seem to be going well for us here." Udo Walz