Who is Oskar Morgenstern in Philosophy
Oskar Morgenstern was a renowned Austrian economist and mathematician, born on January 24, 1902, in Görz, Austria-Hungary (currently Gorizia, Italy), and died on July 26, 1977, in Princeton, United States. He is widely known for his contribution to game theory, an interdisciplinary field that combines elements of mathematics, economics and philosophy.
Formation and Influences
Morgenstern studied mathematics and physics at the University of Vienna, where he received his doctorate in 1925. During his studies, he was influenced by greats of the time such as Karl Menger and Ludwig von Mises. These influences helped shape his interdisciplinary approach and views on economics and philosophy.
Collaboration with John von Neumann
One of Morgenstern's most important collaborations was with the Hungarian-American mathematician John von Neumann. Together, they developed game theory and published the book “Theory of Games and Economic Behavior” in 1944. This work revolutionized the field of economics and laid the foundation for game theory. modern games.
Contributions to Game Theory
Game theory developed by Morgenstern and von Neumann is a fundamental tool for understanding and analyzing strategic situations in which one individual's decision-making affects the outcome of others. This theory has applications in several areas, such as economics, political science, biology and even board games.
Morgenstern and von Neumann introduced key concepts into game theory, such as the payoff matrix, which describes the payoffs for each combination of strategies chosen by players, and the Nash equilibrium, which is a situation in which no player has an incentive to change. your strategy, given the behavior of the other players.
Applications of Game Theory
Game theory has been widely applied in various areas of knowledge. In economics, for example, it is used to model company behavior in competitive markets and to understand the dynamics of negotiations. In political science, game theory helps analyze election campaign strategies and decision-making in government coalitions.
Furthermore, game theory has been used in biology to understand the evolution of cooperative behaviors and in psychology to study social interactions. Even in board games such as chess and poker, game theory can be applied to analyze winning strategies.
Recognition and Legacy
Morgenstern and von Neumann's work in game theory has been widely recognized and awarded. In 1970, Morgenstern received the Nobel Prize in Economics together with von Neumann, in recognition of their contributions to game theory and its application in economics. This award solidified Morgenstern's legacy as one of the leading thinkers of the XNUMXth century.
Even after his death, Morgenstern's contributions to game theory continue to be studied and applied in different areas of knowledge. His interdisciplinary approach and innovative thinking left a lasting legacy and influenced generations of economists, mathematicians and philosophers.
Conclusion
In short, Oskar Morgenstern was an Austrian economist and mathematician who left a significant legacy in game theory. His collaboration with John von Neumann resulted in fundamental advances in this interdisciplinary field, which has applications in several areas of knowledge. Morgenstern's work continues to be studied and his influence is felt to this day.
