Skip to content
Scan a barcode
Scan
Added to your cart
Paperback The Stag Hunt and the Evolution of Social Structure Book

ISBN: 0521533929

ISBN13: 9780521533928

The Stag Hunt and the Evolution of Social Structure

Brian Skyrms, author of the successful Evolution of the Social Contract (which won the prestigious Lakatos Award) has written a sequel. The book is a study of ideas of cooperation and collective action. The point of departure is a prototypical story found in Rousseau's A Discourse on Inequality. Rousseau contrasts the pay-off of hunting hare where the risk of non-cooperation is small but the reward is equally small, against the pay-off of hunting the stag where maximum cooperation is required but where the reward is so much greater. Thus, rational agents are pulled in one direction by considerations of risk and in another by considerations of mutual benefit. Written with Skyrms's characteristic clarity and verve, this intriguing book will be eagerly sought out by students and professionals in philosophy, political science, economics, sociology and evolutionary biology.

Recommended

Format: Paperback

Temporarily Unavailable

We receive fewer than 1 copy every 6 months.

Related Subjects

Poetry

Customer Reviews

1 customer rating | 1 review

Rated 4 stars
Insightful Exploration of Social Games

Brian Skyrms is one of the few philosophers who has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences of the United States. He is an outstanding example of what seems to me to be a trend in modern philosophy of science, which is to learn the relevant scientific practices thoroughly so that one's contribution as a philosopher is at a high technical level of expertise. This book is accessible to the interested non-professional,...

0Report

Rated 4 stars
Where does trust come from?

Skyrms weaves together insights from game theory, evolutionary dynamics, computer simulations, and philosophy to address a crucial question: Where does trust come from? When do the trusting get ripped off? When do the trusting succeed? How can societies be set up so that they're more likely to build trust? Skyrms walks the reader through the key technical tools, so most college-educated readers should have little trouble...

0Report

Copyright © 2025 Thriftbooks.com Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information | Cookie Policy | Cookie Preferences | Accessibility Statement
ThriftBooks ® and the ThriftBooks ® logo are registered trademarks of Thrift Books Global, LLC
GoDaddy Verified and Secured