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Prof Richard Bradley LAK2.03

This course is available on the BSc in Philosophy, Politics and Economics. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit. This course is not available to General Course students.

Formal Methods of Philosophical Argumentation (PH104) or Intermediate Logic (PH112) 

Microeconomic Principles I (EC201), Microeconomic Principles II (EC202) or Microeconomics II (EC2A3)

This course introduces the three main components of rational choice theory: individual decision theory (including probability theory), game theory and social choice theory. Students will become familiar with the kinds of problems and solution techniques (the logical/mathematical machinery) that characterise these areas of rational choice. The primary aim of the course, however, is to philosophically examine the theories in question. To this end we examine the basic assumptions underlying the dominant decision and social  choice models, and how these assumptions relate  to the role(s) these models are supposed to play in various areas of philosophy (e.g. philosophy of science and ethics) and in the social sciences.

15 hours of lectures and 10 hours of classes in the MT. 15 hours of lectures and 10 hours of classes in the LT.

Students will be expected to produce 2 essays and 2 problem sets in the MT and LT.

Richard Jeffrey, The Logic of Decision, Michael Resnik, Choices: an introduction to decision theory, Martin Peterson An Introduction to Decision Theory, Amartya Sen Collective Choice and Social Welfare, Duncan Luce and Howard Raiffa Games and Decisions, Wulf Gaertner A Primer in Social Choice Theory, Ken Binmore, Game Theory: A Very Short Introduction

Exam (40%, duration: 2 hours) in the summer exam period.
Coursework (30%) in the MT.
Coursework (30%) in the LT.

The final exam will contain short questions of a technical nature. 

Summative coursework will consist of a combination of essays and exercises.