A Commentary on the Passing Scene by Robert Paul Wolff rwolff@afroam.umass.edu
Sunday, April 17, 2011
UPLOADING COMPLETED
It is now 6:23 a.m., and I have completed uploading THE USE AND ABUSE OF FORMAL MODELS IN POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY -- A TENDENTIOUS TUTORIAL IN FIVE PARTS to box.net. I even found a lovely picture of a saddle point on the web and copied it into my tutorial. This is the second blog that I wrote while also writing my autobiography almost a year ago. It introduces you to the technical details of Rational Choice Theory, Game Theory, and Collective Choice Theory, complete with a proof of Arrow's Theorem and a semi-proof of the Fundamental Theorem of Game Theory. It also has a discussion of the Prisoner's Dilemma that will, I hope, stop you from ever mentioning that abomination again. This is the high point of my nerdiness, and I think I need to do some blog posts on movies, menus, and baroque music just to show that I am not a total geek. Feel free to download the tutorial and use it in any way you wish. [I guess I don't actually have to say that about a blog, right?]
A non-trivial amount of the page views for that tutorial comes from me (from at least two different countries) comes from me. You posted that tutorial at a very helpful time for me, just as I was first making forays into the more formal reaches of ethics (my field). I found your tutorial a great help. I must admit I was a little disappointed to see you cut it short after you had at first said that you might go on to discuss issues such as Nozick's claims in Anarchy, State and Utopia. Instead I had to contend myself with reading a bundle of your books (if it's not too much trouble, I might ask you about some points in The Poverty of Liberalism sometime soon), and having just finished Sen's On Economic Inequality, I am on my second reading of his Collective Choice and Social Welfare. So, you have managed to touch one reader at least. My heartfelt thanks, professor.
ReplyDeleteThank you for uploading this. I discovered the blog too late to join the original party, but it's very good to have the tutorial in this easy-to-access format.
ReplyDeleteIn which part can one find the discussion of the prisoner's dilemma
ReplyDeleteMarinus, I am delighted that it has been helpful. The Nozick critique is actually in an Arizona Law Review article that youm can find on-line, if I am not mistaken.
ReplyDeleteBy all means ask any questions tou wish [you can send me an email if that is easier].
Chris, the Prisoners Dilemma material is in Part Five Applications.