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Game Theory works in terms of self-interest. Some Game Theory concepts could be unsound. There’s over-dependence on rationality. That is my enlightenment. John Nash
Client: The modern world: What is the name of the game in the world today?
Rumpole: Space Invaders. Rumpole of the Bailey s3e6: Rumpole and the Last Resort, ITV 1983
The Theory of Games and Economic Behaviour [Von Neumann and Morgenstern] was in every way a revolutionary book. In line with Morgenstern’s agenda the book was a ‘blistering attack’ on the prevailing paradigm in economics and Olympian Keynesian perspective, in which individual incentives and individual behaviour were often subsumed, as well as an attempt to ground the theory in individual psychology. Sylvia Nasar, A Beautiful Mind
The entire edifice of game theory rests on two theorems: Von Neumann’s min-max theorem of 1928 and Nash’s equilibrium theorem of 1950 ... Nash introduced the distinction between cooperative and non-cooperative games ... By broadening the concept to include games that involved a mix of cooperation and competition, Nash succeeded in opening the door in applications of game theory to economics, political science, sociology, and, ultimately, evolutionary biology. ibid.
In contrast to the linear chain of reasoning for sequential games, a game with simultaneous moves involves a logical circle. Although players act at the same time, in ignorance of other players’ current actions, each is forced to think about the fact that there are other players who in turn are similarly aware ... His own best action is an integral part of the calculation. ibid.
He [Nash] proved that for a certain very broad class of games of any number of players, at least one equilibrium exists – so long as one allows mixed strategies. ibid.
Man proposes, but God blocks the game. Mark Twain
The game is not over until it is. Dwight Yorke
Cleaning woman Maria on knees scooping Mr Creosote’s sick: Well I’ve worked in worse places, philosophically speaking. Yeah, I used to work in the Academie Francaise. But it didn’t do me any good at all. And I once worked in the Library – in the Prada – in Madrid. They didn’t teach me nothing I recall. And the Library of Congress you’d have thought would hold some key but it didn’t. And neither did the Bodleian Library. In the British Museum I hoped to find some clue. I worked there from nine to six when everybody was through, but it didn’t teach me nothing about Life’s mystery. I just kept getting older. It got more difficult to see till eventually me eyes went and me arthritis got bad. So now I’m cleaning up in here. But I can’t be really sad. ’Cause you see I feel Life’s just a game. You sometimes win or lose. And although I may be down right now at least I don’t work for Jews. Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life 1983 starring Graham Chapman & John Cleese & Terry Gilliam & Eric Idle & Terry Jones & Michael Palin, director Terry Jones
The game’s over. Leon: The Professional 1994 starring Jean Reno & Gary Oldman & Natalie Portman & Danny Aiello & Michael Badalucco & Ellen Greene & Willi One Blood & Don Creech & Adam Busch et al, director Luc Besson, gangsta to Mathilda
Pertwee: So why do we play the game?
Trainer: Haven’t a clue. The Magnificent Eleven 2013 strring Keith Allen & Sean Pertwee & Gary Mavers & Phillip Rhys & Jenna Harrison & Paul Barber & Robert Vaughan & Kevin Howarth & Nina Young et al, director Jeremy Wooding
Good afternoon, gentlemen. What’s the name of this game? Gunfight at the OK Corral 1957 starring Burt Lancaster & Kirk Douglas & Dennis Hopper & Rhonda Fleming & Jo van Fleet & John Ireland & Lyle Bettger & Frank Faylen & Earl Holliman & Ted de Corsia & Whit Bissell et al, Doc
Tell me, Miss Trench, do you play any other games? Dr No 1962 starring Sean Connery & Ursula Andress & Jack Lord & Joseph Wiseman & Bernard Lee & Anthony Dawson & John Kitzmiller & Zena Marshall & Eunice Gayson & Louis Maxwell & Peter Burtonn et al, director Terence Young, James
I love this game, Moonpie. Rollerball 1975 starring James Caan & John Houseman & Maud Adams & John Beck & Moses Gunn & Pamela Hensley & Barbara Trentham & John Normington & Shame Rimmer & Burt Kwouk et al, director Norman Jewison, Jonathan E
This is Jonathan’s season. Every season seems to be Jonathan’s season. ibid.
A stupid game after all. Awful game. ibid.
The game was created to demonstrate the futility of individual effort. Let the game do its work. ibid. Bartholemew to other executives
Game? This wasn’t meant to be a game. ibid. trainer
The integrity of the game must be maintained. For the people. To keep their heroes alive. Rollerball 2002 starring L L Cool J & Chris Klein & Jean Reno & Naveen Andrews & Rebecca Romijn & Mike Dopud & Kata Dobo & Lucia Rijker & Oleg Taktarov & Paul Keyman & Janet Wright et al, director John McTiernan, Reno
[Prince Philip to Princess Margaret over game of Monopoly] I thought you were normally the old boot. Spitting Image s1e10, ITV 1984
Does one want to do a jigsaw with one? Spitting Image s1e11, Prince Charles knocks on loo door for Diana
All shod in steel
We hissed along the polished ice, in games
Confederate. William Wordsworth, Influence of Natural Objects
‘The game,’ said gem, ‘is never lost till won.’ George Crabbe, 1754-1832, Tales of the Hall, 1819
There is plenty of time to win this game, and to thrash the Spaniards too. Francis Drake, attributed
Advertisements: Cricket: A very singular game of cricket will be played on Tuesday the 6th of May, in Linsted Park, between the Gentlemen of the Hill and the Gentlemen of the Dale, for one guinea a man. The whole to be performed on horseback. Alex Horne, The Games That Time Forgot, newspaper advert 17th May 1794, BBC 2011
Quintain is essentially pedestrian jousting. ibid.
Hot Pastie Pudding Eating: in this game players simply have to eat hot pies as fast as possible. ibid.
The Enhancement of Existing Sports: in 1788 a fat man called Bullock ran against a man carrying a jockey on his back. ibid.
The Smoking Matches were two more genuine games enjoyed at eighteenth century country fairs; the first is a trial among the candidates who shall smoke a pipe full of tobacco in the shortest time ... The second is precisely the reverse – for he of them who can keep the tobacco alight within his pipe and retain it there the longest. ibid.
Stool Ball is not extinct but it is quite rare. ibid.
All reality is a game. Physics at its most fundamental, the very fabric of our universe, results directly from the interaction of certain fairly simple rules, and chance; the same description may be applied to the best, most elegant and both intellectually and aesthetically satisfying games. By being unknowable, by resulting from events which, at the sub-atomic level, cannot be fully predicted, the future remains makable, and retains the possibility of change, the hope of coming to prevail; victory, to use an unfashionable word. In this, the future is a game; time is one of the rules. Generally, all the best mechanistic games – those which can be played in any sense ‘perfectly’, such as a grid, Prallian scope, ’nkraytle, chess, Farnic dimensions – can be traced to civilisations lacking a realistic view of the universe (let alone the reality). They are also, I might add, invariably pre-machine-sentience societies.
The very first-rank games acknowledge the element of chance, even if they rightly restrict raw luck. To attempt to construct a game on any other lines, no matter how complicated and subtle the rules are, and regardless of the scale and differentiation of the playing volume and the variety of the powers and attributes of the pieces, is inevitably to shackle oneself to a conspectus which is not merely socially but techno-philosophically lagging several ages behind our own. As a historical exercise it might have some value. As a work of the intellect, it’s just a waste of time. If you want to make something old-fashioned, why not build a wooden sailing boat, or a steam engine? They’re just as complicated and demanding as a mechanistic game, and you’ll keep fit at the same time. Iain Banks, The Player of Games