Games & Decisions. Intro. & Critical Survey By Luce & Raiffa

Descripción

This is a book written by mathematicians but "aimed primarily at those readers working in the behavioral sciences." It "attempts to
communicate the central ideas and results of game theory and related decision making models unencumbered by their technical mathematical
details: thus, for example almost no proofs are included."
Despite these remarks from the authors' introduction, the book deserves the attention of professional mathematicians, behavioral scientists
or anyone else interested in finding out about the subject matter of its title. Of these various groups I strongly suspect it is the mathematicians
who will most readily understand its contents.
The book is unique in many respects. It is the first on the subject which attempts to cover the whole field, a feat it succeeds in doing
with almost astonishing comprehensiveness. The authors have read, digested and present here in a lucid manner virtually every idea on
games and decisions that has been put forth since these objects became the subject matter of a "theory."
Even the game theory specialist will in all likelihood find branches treated here with which he is not familiar (this reviewer is grateful to the authors for the sections on statistical decision making).
The book has novelty as well as comprehensiveness. At a conservative guess, half of the material it contains has not previously appeared
in book form. Game theory is a rather diffuse subject, and the authors have done an admirable job of bringing under one roof many
different ideas, mostly from mathematics and economics periodicals, and giving to this diversified material at least the semblance of unity.
One of their unifying devices is consistent use of two approaches to the theories, the constructive approach: "Here is a theory. Let us
investigate its properties," and the axiomatic approach: "Here are some desirable properties. Let us find a theory that has them."
The authors have made available and understandable a great mass of interesting material in a new field, $n achievement that will
surely earn them the admiration and gratitude of all who read their book.
Review by DAVID GALE

En muy buenas condiciones, firmado por anterior su dueño en las dos primeras páginas.