The Evolution of Cooperation
May 2025 · Sold by Basic Books
Ebook
272
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About this ebook
“For anyone involved in settling disputes” (Richard Dawkins), a famed political scientist offers a classic argument for how to achieve a more cooperative world
We assume that, in a world ruled by natural selection, selfishness pays. So why cooperate? In The Evolution of Cooperation, political scientist Robert Axelrod seeks to answer this question. In 1979, he organized the famed Computer Prisoner’s Dilemma Tournament, which sought to find the most effective strategy for the ubiquitous prisoner’s dilemma, a model of strategy problems in the nuclear age. The expectation had been that some complicated scheme of competition would win the day. Instead, a simple, cooperative program called Tit for Tat did. The effects of that victory continue to reverberate today, from college campuses to the Situation Room.
A vital book for leaders and decision-makers, The Evolution of Cooperation reveals how cooperative principles help us think better about everything from military strategy to political elections to family dynamics.
We assume that, in a world ruled by natural selection, selfishness pays. So why cooperate? In The Evolution of Cooperation, political scientist Robert Axelrod seeks to answer this question. In 1979, he organized the famed Computer Prisoner’s Dilemma Tournament, which sought to find the most effective strategy for the ubiquitous prisoner’s dilemma, a model of strategy problems in the nuclear age. The expectation had been that some complicated scheme of competition would win the day. Instead, a simple, cooperative program called Tit for Tat did. The effects of that victory continue to reverberate today, from college campuses to the Situation Room.
A vital book for leaders and decision-makers, The Evolution of Cooperation reveals how cooperative principles help us think better about everything from military strategy to political elections to family dynamics.
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About the author
Robert Axelrod is professor of political science and public policy emeritus at the University of Michigan. A MacArthur fellow, he is a leading expert on game theory, artificial intelligence, evolutionary biology, mathematical modeling, and complexity theory. In 2014, he received the National Medal of Science, “the nation’s highest honor for scientific achievement and leadership.” He lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
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