1940 – 2023
Herbert Gintis (1940–2023) was an American behavioral economist and game theorist known for integrating evolutionary biology, economics, and philosophy to explain human cooperation and rationality. His work on epistemic game theory and the foundations of social science engaged closely with philosophers like Robert Aumann and Robert Stalnaker on the logic of rational agents.
Co-authored A Cooperative Species, advancing the theory of strong reciprocity in human evolution
Developed formal analyses of epistemic game theory and common knowledge assumptions
Contributed to the Santa Fe Institute's research on complexity and behavioral economics
Co-edited Moral Sentiments and Material Interests, linking ethics to experimental economics
Authored The Bounds of Reason, unifying decision theory across the behavioral sciences