Schedule
| Date | Topic/Readings | Assignments |
|---|---|---|
| 1/16 (Mon) | Introduction (Slides) | |
| 1/18 (Wed) | Prologue: Blaise Pascal, The First Decision Theorist (Slides) An Introduction to Decision Theory, Introduction to Chapter 2, Sections 2.1–2.3, and Box 2.1. Blaise Pascal, "The Wager" (handout). |
Quiz #1. |
| 1/23 (Mon) | Choice Under Certainty (Unit #1) (Slides) David Kreps, “Preference Relations and Revealed Preference” (handout). |
Quiz #2. |
| 1/25 (Wed) | Choice Under Certainty (Slides) An Introduction to Decision Theory, Introduction to Chapter 8, Sections 8.1 and 8.2, and Box 8.2. |
Quiz #3. |
| 1/30 (Mon) | Choice Under Certainty (Slides) |
Quiz #4. |
| 2/1 (Wed) | Choice Under Certainty (Slides) An Introduction to Decision Theory, Introduction to Chapter 5, Section 5.1, and Box 5.1. |
Quiz #5. |
| 2/6 (Mon) | Choice Under Certainty(Slides) An Introduction to Decision Theory, Section 8.3. |
Quiz #6. |
| 2/8 (Wed) | Choice Under Ignorance (Unit #2) (Slides) An Introduction to Decision Theory, Introduction to Chapter 3 and Sections 3.1–3.4. |
Quiz #7. |
| 2/13 (Mon) | Choice Under Ignorance (Slides) An Introduction to Decision Theory, Sections 3.5, 3.6, and 2.4, and Boxes 3.2 and 2.2. |
Quiz #8. |
| 2/15 (Wed) | Choice Under Ignorance (Slides) Michael D. Resnik, “An Application in Social Philosophy: Rawls vs. Harsanyi” (handout). |
Quiz #9. |
| 2/20 (Mon) | Note: This will be in lecture hall 2152 (just this day). |
Unit Exam #1. |
| 2/22 (Wed) | Choice Under Risk (Unit #3) (Slides) An Introduction to Decision Theory, Introductions to Chapter 4 and Chapter 6, and Sections 6.1–6.3. |
|
| 2/27 (Mon) | Choice Under Risk (Slides) An Introduction to Decision Theory, Section 5.2. |
Quiz #10. |
| 2/29 (Wed) | Choice Under Risk (Slides) An Introduction to Decision Theory, Sections 4.1–4.3. |
Quiz #11. |
| 3/5, 7 | Spring Break | |
| 3/12 (Mon) | Choice Under Risk (Slides) An Introduction to Decision Theory, Sections 4.4–4.7, and 8.4. |
Quiz #12. |
| 3/14 (Wed) | Choice Under Risk (Slides) An Introduction to Decision Theory, Sections 8.5,14.1, and 14.2. |
Quiz #13. |
| 3/19 (Mon) | Choice Under Risk (Slides) An Introduction to Decision Theory, Section 14.3. |
Quiz #14. |
| 3/21 (Wed) | Choice Under Risk (Slides) Amos Tversky, Paul Slovic, and Daniel Kahneman, “The Causes of Preference Reversal” (handout). Sarah Lichtenstein and Paul Slovic, “Transcript from Post-Experimental Interview” (handout). |
Quiz #15. |
| 3/26 (Mon) | Choice Under Risk (Slides) Hal R. Arkes and Peter Ayton, “Sunk Cost and Concorde Effects: Are Humans Less Rational Than Lower Animals” (handout). |
Quiz #16. |
| 3/28 (Wed) | Note: This will be in lecture hall 2152 (just this day). | Unit Exam #2. |
| 4/2 (Mon) | Bayesian Decision Theory (Unit #4) (Slides) An Introduction to Decision Theory, Introduction to Chapter 10 and Sections 10.1–10.3. |
|
| 4/4 (Wed) | Bayesian Decision Theory (Slides) An Introduction to Decision Theory, Introduction to Chapter 7 and Sections 7.1–7.4. |
Quiz #17. |
| 4/9 (Mon) | Bayesian Decision Theory (Slides) An Introduction to Decision Theory, Section 6.4, pages 143–146 of Section 7.5, and Box 7.1. |
Quiz #18. |
| 4/11 (Wed) | Bayesian Decision Theory (Slides) An Introduction to Decision Theory, Sections 7.5.1 and 9.1. |
Quiz #19. |
| 4/16 (Mon) | Bayesian Decision Theory (Slides) An Introduction to Decision Theory, Section 7.5.2. |
Quiz #20. |
| 4/18 (Wed) | Bayesian Decision Theory (Slides) Thomas Gilovich, Robert Vallone, and Amos Tversky, “The Hot Hand in Basketball: On the Misperception of Random Sequences” (handout). |
Quiz #21. |
| 4/23 (Mon) | Epilogue: The Normative Force of Principles of Rationality (Slides) Herbert Simon, “A Behavioral Model of Rational Choice” (handout). |
Quiz #22. |
| 4/25 (Wed) | Epilogue: The Normative Force of Principles of Rationality (Slides) Isaac Levi, “Rationality and Commitment” (handout). |
Quiz #23. |
| 4/30 (Mon) | Note: This will be from 8:30am to 11:30am in lecture hall 2163. | Final Exam. |