Game Theory 101 • Hacker News Board

Re: Game Theory 101

#11

Post by cr0atian » Mon, Dec 12, 2011, 4:23 AM UTC

untitledwiz wrote: post #5

I am about to take a Game Theory final tomorrow so this post if very relevant :) The Yale Open Courses Game Theory class is also worth checking out. Material is taught in a very accessible manner. http://oyc.yale.edu/economics/game-theory/

Hahah I was the first reply with the same link... Are you taking the final tomorrow at Yale?

Re: Game Theory 101

#12

Post by irollboozers » Mon, Dec 12, 2011, 4:58 AM UTC

I actually think this approach to game theory is better for the uninitiated trying to get their hands dirty with some fun problems in game theory without needing the math or economic background. He doesn't go very in depth with the proofs but those aren't really needed. Most of the examples he gives are more fun mental exercises that have to be talked and reasoned through, which really is the essence of game theory. Once you have that understanding of backwards induction, it's then much easier to move into the more complex problems (dynamic, incomplete, asymmetric information).

To be able to grasp a problem like pirates after watching a few videos is very cool and much more practical, where the Yale course jumps directly into Cournot/Bertrand games after five lectures. If you have no prior knowledge of economics, it would be much harder to visualize things like competition and marginal cost in this context. This online course is really just a primer for bigger topics.

Re: Game Theory 101

#13

Post by wspaniel » Mon, Dec 12, 2011, 7:30 AM UTC

MaxGabriel wrote: post #7

What I really like about Khan Academy is that Sal takes away all the magic. The limit as x approaches 0 of sinx/x isn't 1 because "that's the formula," it's because (insert Sal's 15 minute proof showing the graphs and allowing you to intuit the result). In contrast, I just watched the first two lessons of this series and so far it feels like a lot of magic. It's just a "rule" of strictly dominated strategies that eac…

When I started making the videos back in 2009, my concern was just showing how to solve games. Details were details, especially since your average YouTube viewer does not have much an attention spam that lasts past five minutes.

But you're right, the other things are important. I eventually get to them in some of the later (and longer) videos, I talk about them in the textbook. The first lesson is a free PDF on my academic website wjspaniel.wordpress.com, so you can check it out if you are interested.

Thanks for the feedback.

William

Re: Game Theory 101

#14

Post by milofelipe » Mon, Dec 12, 2011, 7:33 AM UTC

milofelipe wrote: post #10

When I checked the Amazon US links, they're priced at 2.99 and 4.99, respectively. Are the .99 and 2.99 prices available to some countries only?

I was not logged in to Amazon when I first checked the links. The prices when not logged in were 2.99 and 4.99. When I logged in, the prices became .99 and 2.99.

Re: Game Theory 101

#15

Post by shangaslammi » Mon, Dec 12, 2011, 9:37 AM UTC

milofelipe wrote: post #10

When I checked the Amazon US links, they're priced at 2.99 and 4.99, respectively. Are the .99 and 2.99 prices available to some countries only?

The prices are $3.44 and $5.74 for me (when logged into Amazon US). That's a nice +250% price hike for us Europeans!

Re: Game Theory 101

#16

Post by wildanimal » Mon, Dec 12, 2011, 10:33 AM UTC

I couldn't tell from the first chapter, but are there a lot of equations? If so, would be a big plus for me.

Re: Game Theory 101

#17

Post by aerique » Mon, Dec 12, 2011, 12:26 PM UTC

shangaslammi wrote: post #15

milofelipe wrote: post #10

When I checked the Amazon US links, they're priced at 2.99 and 4.99, respectively. Are the .99 and 2.99 prices available to some countries only?

The prices are $3.44 and $5.74 for me (when logged into Amazon US). That's a nice +250% price hike for us Europeans!

Came here to say this and I accidentally bought the basics version instead of the more extensive one.

Oh well, I really liked the YouTube videos so the author more than deserves it. It's just that those obvious price hikes get under my skin especially for e-books. Or is it that Amazon includes any taxes they have to pay to the EU in the price?

Re: Game Theory 101

#18

Post by shangaslammi » Mon, Dec 12, 2011, 1:27 PM UTC

aerique wrote: post #17

shangaslammi wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The prices are $3.44 and $5.74 for me (when logged into Amazon US). That's a nice +250% price hike for us Europeans!

Came here to say this and I accidentally bought the basics version instead of the more extensive one. Oh well, I really liked the YouTube videos so the author more than deserves it. It's just that those obvious price hikes get under my skin especially for e-books. Or is it that Amazon includes any taxes they have to pay to the EU in the price?

Amazon is paying VAT in the EU, but the last time I checked, the tax wasn't quite in the hundreds of percents. This is just Amazon taking extra profit because they can, and the author is only getting paid based on the $0.99 and $2.99 price points.

Re: Game Theory 101

#19

Post by wazoox » Mon, Dec 12, 2011, 2:21 PM UTC

shangaslammi wrote: post #15

milofelipe wrote: post #10

When I checked the Amazon US links, they're priced at 2.99 and 4.99, respectively. Are the .99 and 2.99 prices available to some countries only?

The prices are $3.44 and $5.74 for me (when logged into Amazon US). That's a nice +250% price hike for us Europeans!

2.99 euros on amazon.fr for the extended one, looks reasonable ( $2.99 + VAT ).

Re: Game Theory 101

#20

Post by wspaniel » Mon, Dec 12, 2011, 3:13 PM UTC

wildanimal wrote: post #16

I couldn't tell from the first chapter, but are there a lot of equations? If so, would be a big plus for me.

Game theory doesn't become computationally intensive until you reach mixed strategies, which start about half way through the first chapter. (If this comment is referring to the PDF preview on my website, the PDF only contains the first lesson.)