Pareto Optimality
Although not discussed in depth in class, upon supplementing my learning with edX I became interested in examples where the Nash Equilibrium does not represent the only, or even the logical optimal solution. Professor Tardos discusses tolls, and creates an example where the a path equal to x/10 minutes (x being amount of people taking […]
The Game Theory of Disaster Relief
This article discussed game theory as a strategy for maximizing the efficiency of disaster relief. Natural disasters cost the US on average 100 billion dollars each year and the number of people affected continues to grow. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 took over 2,000 lives and cost the country upwards of 125,000 billion dollars. Natural disasters […]
Game Theory in the Philosophy of Convention
Certain concepts, for instance money, result from convention. It is through convention alone that a piece of paper is considered as valuable as important goods and services. The concept of convention is invoked here to say that some things result from agreement that is up to us, “undetermined by human nature or by intrinsic features […]
Networks in Game Of Thrones
http://www.npr.org/2016/04/16/474396452/how-math-determines-the-game-of-thrones-protagonist Game Of Thrones is one of the most popular tv shows on air right now. A notable aspect of Game Of Thrones is that there are so many characters and storylines on the show that there is not necessarily one sole main character/protagonist. It is even more known for killing off characters that many […]
The Science Behind Social Networking And Why MySpace Lost To Facebook
Humans have always been very sociable creatures. Since the advent of time, humans have always relied on the the company and by extreme necessity social networks were created. They were a modus operandi to share experiences, needs, desires, ideas, and innovations. The concept of social networking is one that exists beyond the lives of mankind, […]
Braess paradox for new roads? Not all the time….
Have you ever sat in traffic on a major highway and thought to yourself: “hey, I’m smarter than the rest of these people. I’m going to take X route to save some time.” You know the alternate route. In fact, it used to be your normal route, until the highway you’re currently sitting on was […]
Game Theory in Politics
As we’ve seen in recent events, the intensity of America’s partisan polarization has only been on the rise. We’ve abandoned the idea of putting the country first. Instead, we settle with putting our respective party first and all others last. Your political stance has become as important as your religion, where families don’t want their […]
Systemic Importance and the Contagion Phenomenon in a Network of Banks
On September 13, the Reserve Bank of India identified HDFC bank as a Domestic Systematically Important Bank (D-SIB). This status, referred to colloquially as “too big to fail”, refers to banks that are determined to have the potential to “send shocks through the [domestic] financial system” (BIS) in the event of their failure. Specifically, criteria […]
Network Graphs in How I Met Your Mother
http://ew.com/article/2011/09/29/himym-barney-robin-ted-storyline/ How I Met Your Mother was a TV comedy running from 2005 to 2014 detailing the love life of one of its main characters, Ted Mosby. The first episode of the show actually begins with Ted going on a date with a woman named Robin; however, Ted later ruins this date by saying “I […]
Apple’s New iPhones & Matching Markets
Apple’s pricing of its newest lines of iPhones is the corollary to a slew of new add-ons and innovative features that make them ever-more appealing to consumers. As the article linked below discusses, iPhone price increases are justified by their shiny new interfaces and improved functionality. The flagship iPhone X touts a “super retina” screen […]
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