Includes bibliographical references (pages 180-189) and index.
Contents
I. Perfect rationality: beyond gradient-climbing -- 1. Introduction -- 2. The locally maximizing machine -- 3. The globally maximizing machine -- 4. Strategic behaviour in animals and men -- 5. Functionalist explanation in sociology -- II. Imperfect rationality: Ulysses and the Sirens -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Toward a definition -- 3. Pascal -- 4. Descartes -- 5. Inconsistent time preferences -- 6. Endogenous change of preferences -- 7. Precommitment in animal behaviour -- 8. Abdication from power -- 9. Some conclusions and further questions -- III. Problematic rationality: some unresolved problems in the theory of rational behaviour -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Games without solutions -- 3. Lexicographic preferences -- 4. Subjective probability -- 5. Maximizing, satisficing and natural selection -- 6. Traditional behaviour and random behaviour -- 7. Explaining altruism -- 8. Inconstancy -- 9. Paradox -- 10. And so what? -- IV. Irrationality: contradictions of the mind -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Hate -- 3. Love -- 4. Self-deception.