Austen and Game Theory? She was ahead of her time says UCLA Professor

 

Our New York region colleague Kerri Spennicchia regularly passes along links that readers of Jane Austen might find interesting. This past week, a new book by Michael Chwe, a political-science professor at UCLA, has been garnering headlines. Here, courtesy of  Spennicchia, are three links that highlight Chwe’s  Jane Austen, Game Theorist.

 

The first is from UCLA. It includes both a five-minute video summary as well as a full lecture presentation of Chwe’s thesis.  The second is from Slate, and the third is a tongue-in-cheek response to Chwe’s observations by Ferris Jabr.

 

Pride, prejudice and strategic thinking: Jane Austen wrote the book ..

Professor Chwe’s Lecture Presentation:

Pride, prejudice and strategic thinking: Jane Austen wrote the book on game theory

“Austen’s novels are game theory textbooks,” Michael Suk-Young Chwe writes in “Jane Austen, Game Theorist,” which Princeton University Press published April 21. “She’s trying to get readers to use their higher thinking skills and to think strategically.”

Read Further

 

 

Political Scientist Realizes Jane Austen Knew Something About Human Relationships

[Slate]
Readers of Jane Austen had reason to rejoice this morning. According to an article in today’s New York Times, we haven’t just been wasting our time on frivolous little stories. Austen, it seems, has something to tell us. And not only us English majors. Mathematicians. Game theorists. Serious thinkers. Even Henry Kissinger.

…Read Further

 

Jane Austen Responds: Game Theory? Sir, You Flatter Me

[Scientific American (blog)]
It is with a mix of delight, embarrassment and confusion that I have watched people analyze and adapt my novels all these years. Cassandra often hears of the latest developments before I do and takes great pleasure in bringing me tidbits of gossip

… Read Further

 

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