Game Theory and the Law

Game theory, the analysis of the logic of strategic behavior within interpersonal interactions, offers useful insights into how legal rules affect the way people behave. This seminar introduces what constitutes a game, payoffs, and basic solution concepts, such as the Nash Equilibrium. The seminar focuses on how various models, particularly the prisoner's dilemma, coordination games, and "chicken," can be used to study problems that arise in an array of legal fields, including but not limited to tort, contract, antitrust, bankruptcy, and environmental law. This seminar satisfies the Upper Division Writing Requirement.