Strategies of Successful Religions
When we take religion at face value, we can describe it as a simple set of cultural beliefs to abide by. However, this basic definition is quickly transforming to encompass the tangible, animated, and human-like aspects of religion as well. In “The Darwinian Evolution of Religion,” Princeton University professor and author Michael Graziano compares the […]
Traffic Patterns During Government Shutdown
The recent government shutdown has affected many Americans, as certain Federal agencies are temporarily closed or suspended, giving many Federal employees a period of indefinite vacation time. For Hampton Roads, a metropolitan area in southeast Virginia that is home to the major United States Navy, Air Force, and Army bases, as well as NASA, this […]
Dollar–Bill Auctions
The article introduces the dollar‐bill auction as an “unpleasant economists’ party game” that was invented by the game theorist Martin Shubik. As the name suggests, the participants’ agree to auction one-dollar by placing bids, with one-cent increments. Just like a normal auction, the one-dollar bill goes to the highest bidder, but what makes this auction […]
Chimpanzees and the Ultimatum Game
http://www.pnas.org/content/110/6/2070.full.pdf+html In 2012, scientists wanted to test the outcomes of the Ultimatum Game on chimpanzees, to assess if humans were the only species capable of compassion and the desire to share. To accomplish this, the scientists set up an Ultimatum Game for the chimpanzees, in which they chose tokens that would be exchanged for food. […]
Prisoner’s Dilemma in Breaking Bad
The prisoner’s dilemma is an oft-studied example of game theory and strategy in social situations. The classical example involves two prisoners who have the options of confessing or keeping silent. While both prisoners are better off keeping silent, the dominant strategy and Nash equilibrium is for both of the prisoners to defect. An example payoff […]
Fraternity Recruitment
Phired Up is an organization that focuses on the social connections that make organizations grow and function efficiently. Phired Up emphasizes “values based, relationship driven growth” in order to increase the chance of bringing in new members that will fit into your organization. My personal experience with Phired Up comes through my interaction with Phired […]
Iran’s Nuclear Program and Structural Balance
It’s no secret that Israel and Iran aren’t exactly the best of friends. In recent years, the two countries have been increasingly at odds due to Iran’s nuclear program. Israel sees the nuclear program as a major threat to its existence, a sentiment compounded by former President of Iran Ahmadinejad’s harsh rhetoric towards Israel and […]
Auction Riggers Beat the Bank
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/01/foreclosure-scams-auction-crackdown_n_3371595.html As a result of the poor state of the United States economy, foreclosed houses are a common sight in almost every town. When a mortgage is not paid, the house is put up for auction by the bank in the hopes of regaining some of their losses. However, some conspirators have devised a plan […]
The Machiguenga and the Ultimatum Game
Joseph Heinrich’s academic article, Does Culture Matter in Economic Behavior?, analyzes the economic concept of the ultimatum game amongst the Machiguenga, a secluded group of people living in the Peruvian Amazon. The Machiguenga are an ethnic group whose relatives date back to the 15th century. Their livelihood is based on agriculture, as well as hunting […]
Cook’s twist on Apple
There is no doubt that Apple has changed considerably since the death of Steve Jobs. Barring the marketing and product development strategies of Apple, the company’s approach towards investors has taken a significant twist. During Jobs’ reign at Apple, any shareholder of Apple stocks was to expect little or no return from the company. The […]
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