Re: Game theory and such

["Chris M. Sciabarra" <sciabrrc@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Wed, 17 Jan 1996, Lisa Rogers wrote:
> I'm reading _History of Economic Thought_ by E.K.Hunt and just
> finished the chapter on Adam Smith.  Having read some Marx first, it
> is interesting to see parallels.  Both could see that, in capitalism,
> individuals were each acting in their own economic self-interest.  I
> really don't see what is so controversial about that kind of
> statement.
> I doubt there are many here who have a clue about what game theory is
> _for_.  I got bashed around here when I first came in and dared to
> say something about the uses of methodological individualism.  I
> still don't see why some people find it inherently reactionary.  It's
> like blaming 'technology' for pollution, rather than the way that
> technology is used.

        I agree, Lisa.  Though I think that the whole methodological
individualism vs. methodological holism debate is a bit overblown, I
think there is much value to be found in various approaches to the social
sciences.  As for the Adam Smith-Karl Marx parallel, it is an admitted
one for Marx.  Marx was, of course, deeply influenced not only by the
Smith-Ricardo wing of classical economics, but by the whole Scottish
Historical School, including Ferguson, Mandeville, Hale, Robertson,
Millar, and others.  See especially, Ronald Meek's wonderful essay, "The
Scottish Contribution to Marxist Sociology," in DEMOCRACY AND THE LABOUR
MOVEMENT, edited by John Saville, pp. 84-102.  (London:  Lawrence and
Wishert Ltd., 1954).

        The Scottish historical school was highly dialectical in its
historiography and social science methods, and it was also a prime
influence on such modern day Austrians as Hayek... hence, the similarity,
at least methodologically speaking, between Marx and Hayek on many
issues.  That's at least part of my own thesis in MARX, HAYEK, AND UTOPIA.

                                - Chris
==================================================
Dr. Chris M. Sciabarra
Visiting Scholar, NYU Department of Politics
INTERNET:  sciabrrc@xxxxxxxxxxx
http://pages.nyu.edu/~sciabrrc
==================================================


     --- from list marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ---

     ------------------