Re: Game theory and such

[glevy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Lisa Rogers wrote:

> "Marx rejects the labor theory of value"??  Oh Justin, ever since
> Steve Captain Ahab Keen left us, I've been looking for Don Quixote,
> and here you are!  You don't ever keep your head down, do you.

Marx _never_ said he accepted the LTV. His understanding of value was
qualitatively different from the Ricardian theory. As for Don Quixote, I
doubt if Justin believes that he is going to realize the "impossible
dream" on _this_ list.

> Not that I care much about that particular windmill,
it's just > amusing to watch the giants tilting from a distance.

You troublemaker!

> 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.

It's what is _not_ said above that is controversial.

> I doubt there are many here who have a clue about what game theory is
> _for_.

Perhaps. Game theory _does_ have its uses, but, not as a _substitute_ for
value theory.

  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 won't bash you, Lisa. Do you not understand, though, that
methodological individualism as a philosophical perspective is
inconsistent with many other philosophical perspectives? It's not like
shopping for veggies.

> Are knives inherently violent?  Not if I use one to cut you a slice
> of warm-from-the-oven bread to go with my home-grown rhubarb jam.

No, knives aren't inherently violent, but I reject the analogy. I don't
like rhubarb jam either, BTW.

> Game theory and such are _tools_ people!

When one uses the wrong tool for a particular use, one can end up either
destroying the object one is working on or oneself. Tools have to be
selected very carefully and treated with caution.

Jerry


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