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Gladiators, Pirates and Games of Trust: How Game Theory, Strategy and Probability Rule Our Lives Paperback – February 14, 2017

by Haim Shapira (Author)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 198 ratings
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Game Theory is the mathematical formalization of interactive decision-making—it assumes that each player's goal is to maximize his/her benefit, whatever it may be. Players may be friends, foes, political parties, states, or any entity that behaves interactively, whether collectively or individually. One of the problems with game analysis is the fact that, as a player, it's very hard to know what would benefit each of the other players. Some of us are not even clear about our own goals or what might actually benefit us.
 
In Gladiators, Pirates, and Games of Trust, Haim Shapira shares humorous anecdotes and insightful examples to explain Game Theory, how it affects our daily lives, and how the different interactions between decision-makers can play out. In this book, you will:

   * Meet Nobel Laureate John F. Nash and familiarize yourself with Nash equilibrium
   * Learn the basic ideas of the art of negotiation
   * Visit the gladiators' ring and apply for a coaching position
   * Build an airport and divide inheritance
   * Issue ultimatums and learn to trust
   * Review every aspect of the prisoner's dilemma and learn about the importance of cooperation
   * Learn how statistics bolster lies
   * And much more
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  1. Print length
    176 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Watkins Publishing
  4. Publication date
    February 14, 2017
  5. Dimensions
    5.09 x 0.57 x 7.74 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1786780100
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1786780102
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"One of the best Game Theory books of all time" - BookAuthority

About the Author

Haim Shapira was born in Lithuania in 1962 and immigrated to Israel in 1977, where he earned a PhD in mathematical genetics for his dissertation on Game Theory and another PhD for his research about the mathematical and philosophical approaches to Infinity. He teaches mathematics, psychology, philosophy, and literature. Haim is an author of seven best-selling books. Shapira is not trying to make his readers agree with him, but simply encourages them to enjoy thinking. He is one of Israel's most popular and in-demand speakers and gives lectures on creativity and strategic thinking, existential philosophy and philosophy in children's literature, happiness and optimism, nonsense and insanity, imagination and the meaning of meaning, as well as friendship and love. He is also an accomplished pianist and an avid collector of anything beautiful.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Watkins Publishing (February 14, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 176 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1786780100
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1786780102
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.09 x 0.57 x 7.74 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 198 ratings

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4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
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198 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

David J. Aldous
5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful first look at Game Theory
Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2018
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This short book provides a brisk but wide-ranging first look at Game Theory via numerous examples and fairly minimal mathematics. It is very clearly written, and includes both the best-known examples (Prisoners' Dilemma, Ultimatum Game) and concepts (Nash Equilibria) and many less standard games, though often without going into much depth. So I can highly recommend it as a "first look" at the subject.

Does this style of "made up stories involving settings with simple explicit rules" actually help everyday life? Wise to be skeptical. More serious is the point that pretty much any observed behavior can be "explained" as rational within some invented game -- and a theory that explains everything explains nothing.

One quibble: the oft-repeated story "dozens of her neighbors witnessed the murder of Catherine Genovese" is essentially false (see Wikipedia).
7 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Fun way to learn
Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2022
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Books like this are excellent guidelines on how education could be done in an engaging and effective manner. Instead of going into a quagmire of dense mathematical calculations, formulae and definitions the author manages to depict his subject as something very interesting and recognizable.
The only potential downside is the lack of any advice or instruction about how to use the information in a more proactive way when dealing with certain situations, but it doesn't diminish the value of both the material and the writer's presentation skills.
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Verity Brown
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but frustrating
Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2022
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Despite the author's efforts to explain game theory in language that non-mathematicians will understand, all too frequently, he ended sections with questions that those of us who are "lesser players" in math have little to no hope of answering. If the answers (and their explanations) were provided in an appendix, that would be fun. As it is, it's simply frustrating.

But the book does do a very good job of explaining that the strategies people choose in the real world are a lot more complicated than any amount of math can explain.
One person found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars a great introduction text
Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2019
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a short book (which is a good idea) which provides a great first look at game theory.
though the text is introductory, you can find many profound examples.
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Bk
4.0 out of 5 stars Reality check for altruistic ppl.
Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2019
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It’s a great book but it will break your heart when you see how selfish mankind is. We deal w ppl who know game theory instinctively or have learned it in business schools - these masters of the world are self-dealing, egotistical maniacs because of whom the world is such a miserable place despite all the material wealth around us.

It’s a great reality check. During negotiations I keep in mind what I learnt in this book despite the oppression I feel doing it.
11 people found this helpful
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yaron zino
5.0 out of 5 stars Funny and interesting
Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2019
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I really enjoyed reading this fascinating subject. The book is written in a light and funny way and reads quickly. A lot of food for thought
3 people found this helpful
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Guy Friedman
5.0 out of 5 stars one of the best books about Game Theory - it is a fun ...
Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2017
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one of the best books about Game Theory - it is a fun read for persons without professional knowledge in this subject, but many insights may surprise even the experts.
4 people found this helpful
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DarrenIngram_dot_com
5.0 out of 5 stars Ideal read
Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2017
Game Theory is a term many may have heard about, but fewer understand, so a book like this provides a clear, humorous and insightful look at how this mathematical formalization of interactive decision-making can impact on our everyday lives.

We are all competitive, no matter what we may claim, and many play on this competitiveness to try and get us to share their news, buy their products, collect something and so-forth. It is not a one-way street, as our behaviours at auctions and retail sales can attest.

This is a fascinating book that treats a serious subject in a serious way, albeit in an accessible and engaging style. A good balancing act has been achieved and reading it was a pleasure rather than a chore or something one may be required to endure! The author even makes the bold claim that the reader will, if they can remember the maths and tricks explained within, be a great asset at parties when they can amuse and amaze their friends at the same time. This has not yet been verified.

An ideal “summer read” when you are travelling, lazing on the beach or just fancy swotting up on something you may not really know about. That said, even those who believe they know a lot about game theory could get some benefit from this book.
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Bernard Thibault
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on October 14, 2017
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Simply Excellent !
One person found this helpful
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Guy Friedman
5.0 out of 5 stars FANTASTIC READ!
Reviewed in Germany on May 21, 2017
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Fantastic read. I found this book enlightening and entertaining all at once. This book is of original writing, well-researched, and not just a collection of other people's ideas. The book is funny and clever., teaching game theory with a lot of humour and without pain.
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Damaskcat
5.0 out of 5 stars Gladiators, Pirates and Games of Trust
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 15, 2017
Vine Customer Review of Free Product( What's this? )Verified Purchase
At first sight game theory would seem to have very little connection with everyday events and much more to do with psychologists conducting experiments with groups of volunteers. But it actually has a great deal to do with many of out interactions with other people, whether between two people or between groups of people. The principles also apply between nations and the author uses a frightening example of the Cuban Missile Crises.

Reading this book can help you negotiating with others to get what you want in the most every day situations whether at home or at work. I found it interesting - though I don't pretend to understand the maths involved with some of the game analysis. Reading it did make me realise that I don't always work out what I want out of any situation which involves negotiation.

There is a lot of information in this small book and it does repay careful study as it will help you to improve any situation which involves any sort of negotiation even if it only makes you realise that you have to decide in advance what your own bottom line might be.
6 people found this helpful
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Amazon Kunde
4.0 out of 5 stars Print quality good the material is okay
Reviewed in Germany on April 4, 2022
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Product/delivery 5*
The material is okay, I found it quite shallow, you can learn a couple of things and it can be read quite fast because of that.
3*
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Kevin Dearn
4.0 out of 5 stars A Solid Introduction to Game Theory
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 18, 2018
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I have been fascinated by game theory for sometime. Beyond watching a few documentaries about it, I know relatively little. I toyed with the idea of reading Neumann's and Morgenstern's book but at a hefty £40 price tag I thought something more accessable was, perhaps, in order. I plumbed for this one.

Shapira's book gives a good grounding in the princples of game theory and how it can apply in real life situatations using the well-known game theory dilemmas and paradoxes. It is not a text book on the subject but it does give a good introduction; I should describe it as a good starting point.

Shapira describes the cases clearly enough for the layman to understand. There is no impenetrable mathematics. Whether this is considered a good or a bad thing depends on what the reader is hoping to get out of the book.

If you have heard of game theory and want to know what it is all about then this is the book for you. If you want to study it in more detail then I suggest you look elsewhere.

Is this book going to change your life? Probably not significantly but hopefully it will have the reading seeing things, especially events on the world stage, in a new light.
4 people found this helpful
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