GAME (Zero Sum)
Charles François (2004). GAME (Zero Sum), International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, 2(1): 1383.
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(1) |
| ID | ◀ 1383 ▶ |
| Object type | General information, Methodology or model |
- “… a game where the amount of 'winnable goods' (or resources in our terminology) is fixed” (F. HEYLIGHEN, 1992, p.4).
Underlying the zero-sum game concept, we find the “bank” problem: resources are limited and this is critical for unlimited competition. In HEYLIGHEN's words: “Whatever is gained by one actor, is therefore lost by the other actor, the sum of gained (positive) and lost (negative) is zero” (Ibid).
On the contrary: “(in) a non-zero sum game all participants can win property from the ”bank“. In principle, in monopoly, two players could reach an agreement and help each other in gathering a maximum amount from the ”bank“ (Ibid).
One of the most serious problem of our time is the general implicit assumption — or better said, conviction — that our planetary bank is inexhaustible.