Research Catalog

Superior beings : if they exist, how would we know?: game-theoretic implications of omniscience, omnipotence, immortality, and incomprehensibility

Title
  1. Superior beings : if they exist, how would we know?: game-theoretic implications of omniscience, omnipotence, immortality, and incomprehensibility / Steven J. Brams.
Published by
  1. New York : Springer-Verlag, ©1983.
Author
  1. Brams, Steven J.

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FormatBook/TextAccessUse in libraryCall numberBT130 .B69 1983Item locationOff-site

Details

Description
  1. xviii, 202 pages : illustrations; 24 cm
Summary
  1. This book examines theology and the idea of a superior being in the context of game theory. The central question posed in this book is: If there existed a superior being who possessed the supernatural qualities of omniscience, omnipotence, immortality, and incomprehensibility, how would he/she act differently from us?
Subject
  1. God (Christianity) > Attributes
  2. Game theory
  3. God > Attributes
  4. God > Proof
  5. Game Theory
  6. God > Proof
  7. God > Attributes
  8. Game theory
  9. God (Christianity) > Attributes
  10. Gottesvorstellung
  11. Spieltheorie
  12. Mathematische Logik
  13. Opperwezens
  14. Speltheorie
Contents
  1. I. Introduction -- II. The rationality of belief in a superior being -- The revelation game -- The revelation game paradox -- The knowability games -- Belief in an uncertain world -- III. Omniscience and partial omniscience -- some effects of omniscience -- Newcomb's problem -- Which principle, and is there a conflict? -- Newcomb's problem symmetricized: Prisoners' dilemma -- A solution to prisoner's dilemma -- Cooperation or noncooperation? -- Implications of mutual predictability for SB and P -- IV. The paradox of omniscience and the theory of moves -- The paradox of omniscience -- A resolution of the paradox of omniscience -- Theory of moves -- A second paradox: moves may provide no resolution -- V. Omnipotence: moving and staying power -- Moving power -- Is there a paradox of moving power? -- Theological interpretations of moving power -- Staying power -- An algorithm for determining S-power outcomes -- M-power versus S-power in the commitment game and other situations -- VI. Immorality and incomprehensibility -- Threats and immorality -- Repeated plays -- Threat power in the punishment game: When immorality is decisive in an asymmetrical game -- Deception by the superior being -- The truth game and the problem of evil -- VII. Superior beings: They may be undecidable -- Undecidability -- Arbitrariness and undecidability.
Owning institution
  1. Princeton University Library
Note
  1. Includes index.
Bibliography (note)
  1. Bibliography: p. [187]-191.