The Complexity of Cooperation: Agent-Based Models of Competition and Collaboration (Paperback)

~ Robert Axelrod (Author) "THIS CHAPTER began with a hammer and a nail..." (more)
Key Phrases: fewer stable regions, technical workstation market, rivalry parameters, New York, Prisoner's Dilemma, Soviet Union (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Robert Axelrod's extraordinary book, The Evolution of Cooperation was globally acclaimed for the rich results of its simple model. The Complexity of Cooperation now gathers together the myriad fruits of more than a decade's work, carefully 'complexifying' his initial model. Like his ideas, his prose is clear and engaging. His delight as he unveils each surprising discovery is infectious. This book is not merely important; it's fun." -- Robert D. Putnam, author of Making Democracy Work --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

Robert Axelrod's extraordinary book, The Evolution of Cooperation was globally acclaimed for the rich results of its simple model. The Complexity of Cooperation now gathers together the myriad fruits of more than a decade's work, carefully 'complexifying' his initial model. Like his ideas, his prose is clear and engaging. His delight as he unveils each surprising discovery is infectious. This book is not merely important; it's fun.
(Robert D. Putnam, author of "Making Democracy Work" )

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Product Details

• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: Princeton University Press (August 18, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0691015678
• ISBN-13: 978-0691015675
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 5.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #48,122 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Companion to'The Evolution of Cooperation', September 25, 2003

By	William Bennett (tucson, arizona United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This books covers what Robert Axelrod been up to since "The Evolution of Cooperation." Extensions to the original "Prisoner's Dilemma" have required new agent behaviors for stable solutions.

"Coping with Noise" deals with agents that make mistakes in their defections and cooperation.

"Promoting Norms" covers the fact that pure self-interest isn't a stable strategy and to promote stability requires norms - common behaviors among agents. The most interesting result from his work is NOT that agents should punish defectors - that is intuitive - but agents who DON'T punish defectors (of norms) must be "persuaded" to punish defectors to keep the norm stable. I guess we all need both the carrot and stick!

"Choosing Sides" covers landscape theory - the creation of population aggregates because similar agents tend to clump together.

There are other interesting sections and I like this book. I would normally give a five to this book; however, this is also a thin book. If there were more coverage of the material and a more in depth discussion of other peoples work, I would have given it a five.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Agent based models of Cooperation, January 21, 2009

By	G. Watson "Associate Professor" (Edwardsville, Illinois) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Axlerod's first book elucidated the "prisoner's dilemma" and why cooperation might be in our best interest. This book, an excellent follow on, does two things exceptionally well. First, it outlines a theory by which one can frame and think about the considerations agents take into account when cooperating and collaborating. From this point, it instantiates those theories with well thought examples of the theory. The second aspect that is remarkably useful for many, is the breadth of the examples. For example, Axlerod describes models that simulate emerging alliances among nations in World War II, as well as patterns in the dissemination of culture and norms. Axlerod's writing style is easy to follow and, in a field where complexity is typically described with long equations in set theory and logic, he avoids the proof through advanced math and provides access to these issues especially approriate for the novice. If one searches the internet you can find Axlerod's website, where the actual code and brief documentation is available for download, for both teaching and personal learning. Of course there are also two major weaknesses in the book. Because of this diversity of topics there is no developmental thread running through the book and the resource appendix is abysmal, but overall you can't do better for this topic.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BRINGING COOPERATION BACK INTO VOGUE, February 5, 2009

By	Harlan R. Green "Book Lover" (California) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

DR. AXLEROD IS A PIONEER IN EMERGING FIELD OF EVOLUTIONARY THINKING. HIS MODELS STUDY THE EFFICACY OF COOPERATION BOTH WITHIN AND WITHOUT COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENTS, USING THE KISS METHOD--KEEP IT SIMPLE, STUPID. HIS STUDIES SHOW HOW WE REACH DECISIONS AND MAKE CHOICES IN THE REAL WORLD TAKING INTO ACCOUNT ALL ITS COMPLEXITIES, AS OPPOSED TO THE ARTIFICIAL WORLD OF RATIONAL CHOICE ASSUMPTIONS USED BY TRADITIONAL SOCIAL SCIENTISTS.