Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas 164 | Herbert Gintis on Game Theory, Evolution, and Social Rationality
Sep 13, 2021
Herbert Gintis, a Professor at Central European University and a thinker in game theory, dives deep into how various social sciences clash and coexist. He critiques the fragmentation of these fields, advocating for an integrated perspective that blends biology, economics, and sociology. Gintis explores the complexities of rationality, arguing that true human behavior often defies traditional economic models. He also examines the role of morality in decision-making and the evolutionary connection between language, warfare, and social structures, emphasizing collaboration in research to enrich understanding.
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Inconsistent Behavioral Models
- Inconsistent models of human behavior exist across social sciences, unlike natural sciences where overlaps agree.
- Economics emphasizes incentives, while sociology focuses on norms, creating a conflict.
Economics Textbook
- Herbert Gintis recalls a thousand-page economics textbook containing no empirical facts, unlike a quantum mechanics book.
- Economists try to derive behavior from rationality, but numerous variables make this insufficient.
Rational Actor Model
- Economics and biology, the only behavioral sciences with core theories, use the rational actor model.
- Other fields, like psychology and anthropology, lack core theories and exhibit scattered approaches.
