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Proposal: Game Theory

There seams to be some differing opinions about whether game theory should have its own stack or be included within another existing or proposed stack. As well as differing opinions on where to include it in case of the later.

[my opinion] Game theory is a new and emerging science that aims to elucidate the nature of decision making. Like other branches of science, Game Theory has wide applicability and is studied within many fields (Psychology, Economics, Mathematics and Philosophy to name a few). I feel the worst situation would be that users interested in Game Theory in general would have to create multiple accounts to ask there questions on the appropriate stack (based on the nature of each question). Game theory is its own field and does not deserve to be fragmented in that way. It has evolved beyond the scope of the individual fields it emerged from and applies to.

OK, maybe other users agree that it should not be fragmented but they still feel it could be included in another stack. If thats the way others want this proposal to go, than the question becomes where to put it.

Judging from the comments and answers I've seen, many feel it should go in Math.SE. If I thought Game Theory didn't deserve it's own stack, than I would agree that Math.SE is roughly the best fit (but I don't). My fear is that many legitimate questions about Game Theory would not be mathy enough and would be attacked (down-voted or removed) by the Math community.

I set up a case study to test this.

Method: I took the current highest rated on-topic question from the Game theory proposal and put it on Math.SE with the game theory tag. http://math.stackexchange.com/q/32821/9552

Expectation: Users tell me it's off topic, down-vote, or otherwise don't try to answer the question.

Results: So far, the exact opposite of my expectations. It has received two good courteous answers, good comments, multiple up-votes and no complaints or down-votes.

I suppose this is good evidence for the put it in Math.SE argument.

Lets try to get a consensus of what to do

Up-vote the answer that corresponds to your preference.

If your preference isn't listed, add it or add a comment and I will add it (so you can still vote for it).

If you don't have the rep to vote, the next best thing would be to show which option you support by leaving a comment on the corresponding answer.

Note: I generally try to not put answers for my own questions, however, it seems like a good way to hold a vote in this case (a poll would be nice, but I don't think SE has that). We don't get rep for discussion (thats certainly not what I'm going for), so feel free to vote.

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someone looking to ask a question about game theory may not know where to go. this makes it clear. Game theory has its own jargon, techniques, et cetera. It has its own journals. – justin cress Apr 16 '11 at 22:25
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Kudos for asking the qn on maths.sx. – Charles Stewart Apr 18 '11 at 17:45
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I think this is a very intelligent thing to do. Post the on-topic questions on possible related sites and see what happens. I think this should be developed into the area51 system where people would suggest possibly related sites and the on-topic questions are posted on them to make sure the new proposal will cover a non-trivial new domain of questions. – Kaveh Apr 25 '11 at 10:36
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4 Answers

up vote 7 down vote

The Game Theory proposal should be removed and Game Theory questions ask on Math.SE using the Game-Theory tag.

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Game theory is absolutely a subset of Math. Academic game theoreticians are almost always part of a Math department. Many most of the techniques are mathematical ones. – DJClayworth Apr 18 '11 at 14:35
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@DJC Academic game theoreticians are almost always part of a Math department: There are many game theorists in economics departments, including six Nobel laureates. Evolutionary game theory is a very active field of study whose participants mostly are in biology departments, and where the questions are guided as much by biology as mathematics. – Charles Stewart Apr 18 '11 at 17:42
That's true, but those are APPLICATIONS of game theory. They are probably also using differential equations, but differential equations are still math. – DJClayworth Apr 18 '11 at 20:27
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DJ Clayworth : if I follow your reasoning, should we put most science questions in math.se since most science are using a mathematical modelling ? – sylvainp Apr 19 '11 at 11:32
Game theory-type questions typically get unhelpful responses on Math.SE: e.g. "Finding such is left as an exercise, as it is not mathematics." math.stackexchange.com/questions/132167/… – Ronald Apr 15 at 21:47
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up vote 7 down vote

My two cents: game theory is not a science per se, it is a transversal field, that covers economy, maths, theoretical computer science, and probably many others. So I am in favor of asking game theory questions where they are best fitted, depending on the context and nature of the question.

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up vote 4 down vote

Game theory should have its own stack (this folows the origonal intention of the proposal).

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up vote 0 down vote

The Game Theory proposal should be merged with the Economics proposal.

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