Skip to main content

Evolution and Convention: Social Contract IV

  • Chapter
Rational Interaction
  • 270 Accesses

Abstract

This paper may be read in two different ways. It can be seen as a contribution to the literature on the evolution of bargaining conventions. (See, for example, Young [11].) Those who are interested only in this aspect of the paper will wish to read only Section 2. However, the chief motivation for writing the paper is to round off a philosophical point about the evolution of utilitarianism raised in an earlier paper (Binmore [4]).

Two men, who pull the oars of a boat, do it by an agreement or convention, tho’ they have never given promises to each other.

Hume [1739, p.490)

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. R. Aumann. Correlated equilibrium as an expression of Bayesian rationality. Econometrica, 55: 1–18, 1987.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. K. Binmore. Modeling rational players, I and II. Economics and Philosophy, 3 and 4:179–214 and 9–55, 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  3. K. G. Binmore. Social contract I: Harsanyi and Rawls. Economic Journal, 99: 84–102, 1989.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. K. G. Binmore. Social contract III: evolution and utilitarianism. Constitutional Political Economy, 1: 1–26, 1990.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. J. Harsanyi. Cardinal utility in welfare economics and in the theory of risk-taking. Journal of Political Economy, 61: 434–435, 1953.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. J. Harsanyi. Cardinal welfare, individualistic ethics, and the interpersonal comparison of utility. Journal of Political Economy, 63: 309–321, 1955.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. J. Harsanyi. Ethics in terms of hypothetical imperatives. Mind, 47: 305–316, 1958.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. J. Harsanyi. Games with incomplete information played by `Bayesian’ players, Parts I–III. Management Science, 14: 159–182, 1967.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. J. Harsanyi. Rational Behavior and Bargaining Equilibrium in Games and Social Situations, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1977.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  10. J. Nash. The bargaining problem. Econometrica, 18: 155–162, 1950.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. P. Young. The Evolution of Bargaining Conventions. Technical Report, University of Maryland, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1992 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Binmore, K. (1992). Evolution and Convention: Social Contract IV. In: Selten, R. (eds) Rational Interaction. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-09664-2_18

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-09664-2_18

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-08136-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-09664-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics