ESS in academic literature: terminological nuances
The article “The semantics of stability: evolutionarily stable strategy in biology and economics literature” discusses the concept of ESS in both biology and economics literature, tracing its origins to Maynard Smith and Price and its subsequent adoption across various scientific disciplines.
A refinement of ESS by Taylor in 1989 introduced m-stability and δ-stability conditions, further enhancing its mathematical rigor. However, the text highlights a terminological issue as it represents the original authors of ESS, Smith and Price. The “evolutionarily stable strategy” is often falsely expressed as “evolutionary stable strategy,” leading to potential confusion. This misnomer is comparable to a similar issue in economics with the term “socially responsible investing.” Analyzing historical data from 1973 to 2022, the study identifies a growing trend in the incorrect usage of ESS terminology, with a significantly higher rate in economics literature compared to biology. Statistical analyses, including the Mann-Kendall test, reveal these trends over time and differences between biological and economic literature.
In the context of discussing”evolutionarily” and “evolutionary,” their primary concern is not the conceptual distinction, but rather the impact on database searches. The juxtaposition of “evolutionary” and “stable” in an incorrect form might lead other readers like myself to falsely envision the evolutionary stability of a typical game. According to the article, misconception is clarified by acknowledging that expected payoffs in games can change with new information, challenging the notion of a constant equilibrium.
Although evolutionary equilibria may be m-stable but not actually δ-stable, fostering polymorphism and variation, these are often overlooked in simplified models. Recognizing the tendency for models to simplify, it is emphasized that these realistic intricacies, though essential, may distract general audiences and learners from grasping the underlying mathematical principles.
Reflection:
This article helped me understand the nuances in ESS beyond what we discussed in class on a semantic level, and its potential mis expressions as “evolutionary stable strategy”. Conceptually, they differ, and while it matters more in the context of writing a research paper, or in a networks class where we give deeper into game theory and strategies, I definitely will take into account this subtle distinction as I continue to learn about networks.
Sources!!!
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1229093/full
https://www.nature.com/articles/246015a0
https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-19-4979-1