John Harsanyi
contemporaryAnalytic Philosophy1920 – 2000
John Harsanyi (1920-2000) was a Hungarian-American economist and philosopher who made foundational contributions to game theory, decision theory, and utilitarian ethics. He is best known for developing the theory of games with incomplete information (Bayesian games) and for his equilibrium selection theory, work that earned him the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1994.
Notable Achievements
1
Developed the theory of Bayesian games (games with incomplete information)
2
Awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1994 (shared with Nash and Selten)
3
Formulated the aggregation theorem supporting rule utilitarianism
4
Co-developed (with Selten) a general theory of equilibrium selection in games
5
Advanced the 'veil of ignorance' approach to impartial moral reasoning