Evolution as game theory

The ever increasing use of game theory in biological (evolutionary) speculation is a pet peeve of mine. In this post I'll revisit the topic.

Quotes and comments;

A. 'A recent example of applying [evolution] to everything was seen on Science Daily and PhysOrg last week. Some psychologists are telling us that evolution taught us to take turns. “It’s not just good manners to wait your turn -- it’s actually down to evolution, according to new research by University of Leicester psychologists.” [1.]

- And so 'manners' are replaced by some notion of instincts, or (and it's more or less the same) by some kind of 'hard-wired' response... developed in a mindless process over aeons of time. We see in this example, mor evidence that the campaign in academia, to achieve the 'abolition of man' continues on; spreading to every part of our lives and thought.

B. 'The psychologists looked into game theory for answers. They created selfish digital organisms in their computer.' [1.]

- Over and over I read examples like this; where the source of ideas about evolution, is game theory. (I consider this a joke.) For starters; there is no such thing as game theory. When these (or other) authors speak of game theory, they mean one or more particular ideas or notions within the set of ideas and stratagems known (collectively) as game theory. In other words; there is not one entity called game theory, but there are many game theories, many versions of game theory. To say that idea x came from game theory is to have said nothing at all.

On top of all this I consider the validity of game theory to be close (very close) to nil. I don't think it can be proved that it has any meaningful or knowable connection to reality. It's a sad state of intellectual affairs when the 'engine' for computer games is seen to be a proof of some postulate in evolutionary theory, or a proper tool in the study of biology.

- What most evolutionists don't like to admit (publicly) is that you can prove Anything with some version of game theory.
- If the authors are correct I guess we'll have to say that the construct called game theory isn't 'down to' anyone either, but that it's just another product of mindless evolution. (This would also be true of my criticisms of game theory.)

C. 'Colman said that their dumb, robotic digital organisms started out purely selfish but ended up taking turns. “Our findings confirm that cooperation does not always require benevolence or deliberate planning.''

- Findings! She calls the 'results' of this computer game, findings. I consider this to be a joke. [i.e. They've created what they claim to have found; and then they've spun an empty story around the supposed finding.] You might as well talk about the results of playing 'Myst' findings. There is no proof this has any connection to the real world of living organisms; or that we can know what conclusions to draw from these games. (People are apparently confusing computer games with the real world.) We need some people to take a critical look at the philosophical basis for this kind of endeavor; to see if there's any validity to this kind of thing.

- Games are supposed to be entertaining; they're not supposed to tell you truths about the real world, especially not truths that concern living organisms.

Notes;
1. Evolution’s Guiding Hand Is Far From Obvious; Creation/Evolution Headlines 7/17/2009
2. Game theory;
'A mathematical theory that deals with action in a conflict situation as if it were a game in which each player seeks to maximise his opponent's losses. '
- game theory was developed initially as a way of dealing with human issues, focusing on things like economics. It was later applied to the animal world. I see this as myth making; treating animals and humans in the same way... really, as if they were the same; as if mind doesn't matter, as if the uniqueness of man doesn't matter. It's another example (so prevalent in our day) of anthropomorphism. (I'm not sure how many people realize it, but evolutionary theory is inherently pantheistic.)

- 'Game theory is a branch of applied mathematics that is used in the social sciences, most notably in economics, as well as in biology, engineering, political science, international relations, computer science, and philosophy. Game theory attempts to mathematically capture behavior in strategic situations, in which an individual's success in making choices depends on the choices of others.' - Wiki
- the use of game theory in biology depends heavily on using the word 'choice' in radically different ways. (i.e. equivocation) The 'choice' (which is no choice) of animals and the choice of humans are conflated; treated as the same thing.

3. I realize Myst is probably a thing of the past.