Game Theory in Washington Heights
For those who know me from the Mimaamakim blog, I’ll be filling a similar capacity – arts and culture and politics. I’ll fit right in. And at the moment, broadcasted from Washington Heights (which poster Lilit insists isn’t even in New York City).
Despite what Lilit thinks, Washington Heights is not the dilapidated crater of no-culture that people assume. Oh no, indeed. In fact, while you have to go to the Bronfman Center to see graffiti, all I need to do is walk outside in the morning.
Actually, Nobel Laureate, Robert Aumann is lecturing at Yeshiva University on April 25th about Game Theory. Though the title of his nobel prize lecture was “War and Peace,” it had less to do with Leo Tolstoy and more to do with this crazy game theory thing. In war conflict, all the world leaders are players whose moves must be evaluated. I listened to the lecture, but all I could think about was Gogol and Dostoevsky playing backgammon in the park.
From his Nobel Lecture: “I’m constantly asked if game theory can bring about a resolution to the conflicts of the Middle East. My response… it is unlikely to bring about a resolution, at least not directly. Game theory cannot provide a magic formula that can resolve a century old conflict. No academic discipline can do that.”
Bummer.