© Copyright by Wojciech Załuski & Copernicus Center Press, 2013 Editing: Aeddan Shaw Cover design: Mariusz Banachowicz Layout: Mirosław Krzyszkowski Typesetting: MELES-DESIGN The publication of this book was financed by the National Science Center (grant Maestro, no. 2012/04/A/HS5/00655) ISBN 978-83-7886-035-8 ISBN 978-83-7886-054-9 (e-book) Kraków 2013
Publisher: Copernicus Center Press Sp. z o.o., pl. Szczepański 8, 31-011 Kraków, tel/fax (+48) 12 430 63 00 e-mail:
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In loving memory of my Father, Jan Załuski (1944–2012)
Table of contents
Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Part I Introduction to game theory Chapter 1. The basics of game theory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 1. Twelve questions about game theory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 2. What is game theory?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 3. What are the branches of game theory? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 4. What are the functions of game theory?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 5. What is a game? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 6. What assumptions does game theory make regarding players?. . . . . . . 25 6.1. Instrumental rationality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 6.2. Common knowledge of rationality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 7. What does game theory assume about players’ knowledge? . . . . . . . . . 31 8. How can games be presented? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 9. What are the main types of games? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 10. What are the basic solution concepts of non-cooperative game theory?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 10.1. Dominance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 10.2. Nash equilibrium. . . . . . .