Wikipedia:Today's featured article/January 13, 2006



Game theory is a branch of applied mathematics that studies strategic situations where players choose different actions in an attempt to maximize their returns. First developed as a tool for understanding economic behavior, game theory is now used in many diverse academic fields, ranging from biology to philosophy. The most famous of game theory games is the prisoner's dilemma, which pits self-interest against mutual benefit. In addition to its academic interest, game theory has received attention in popular culture. A game theorist, John Nash, was the subject of the 2001 film A Beautiful Mind. Several game shows have adopted game theoretic situations, including Friend or Foe and Deal or No Deal. (more...)

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