Game theory and comparative politics: new perspectives, old interests

Seeking to conduct an inventory of the arguments used by game theory proponents, the article assesses both this theory and a set of theoretical principles that extend the scope from rational choice to interdependent decision-making and a type of formal methodology. The article identifies some key qu...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor principal: Gerardo Munck L.
Formato: artículo científico
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro 2000
Materias:
Acceso en línea:http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=21843305
http://biblioteca-repositorio.clacso.edu.ar/handle/CLACSO/49311
Descripción
Sumario:Seeking to conduct an inventory of the arguments used by game theory proponents, the article assesses both this theory and a set of theoretical principles that extend the scope from rational choice to interdependent decision-making and a type of formal methodology. The article identifies some key qualities, like the theory´s emphasis on actors and strategic choices and its ability to generate logically rigorous and internally consistent predictions. But it also discusses many of the theory´s shortcomings. Therefore, the challenge faced by scholars of comparative politics is to consider the new perspectives offered by game theory and to make use of its qualities, without losing sight of a series of relevant longstanding issues from the social sciences that this approach is not prepared to solve.