Evolutionary Game Theory, Natural Selection, and Darwinian Dynamics

All of life is a game, and evolution by natural selection is no exception. The evolutionary game theory developed in this 2005 book provides the tools necessary for understanding many of nature's mysteries, including co-evolution, speciation, extinction and the major biological questions regarding fit of form and function, diversity, procession, and the distribution and abundance of life. Mathematics for the evolutionary game are developed based on Darwin's postulates leading to the concept of a fitness generating function (G-function). G-function is a tool that simplifies notation and plays an important role developing Darwinian dynamics that drive natural selection. Natural selection may result in special outcomes such as the evolutionarily stable strategy (ESS). An ESS maximum principle is formulated and its graphical representation as an adaptive landscape illuminates concepts such as adaptation, Fisher's Fundamental Theorem of Natural Selection, and the nature of life's evolutionary game.

Places the study of evolution into a sound mathematical framework based on Evolutionary Game Theory
It is structured so the reader, less interested in mathematics, may go through the entire book by focusing only on the simplest class of problems
Provides a unifying approach to the study of such diverse topics as co-evolution, speciation, evolutionary ecology and resource management

Reviews & endorsements

Review of the hardback: 'It's complicated, but it's where biology is at, and Vincent and Brown clarify the issues wonderfully.' Biologist

Review of the hardback: '… even-handedness, together with its peerless reasoning, helps this book stand out in a crowded field … masterly book. … time and again, Shanahan convinces us that Darwin's approach was relentlessly reconciliatory, pluralistic, and non dogmatic … Because it is equally ardent and articulate, Shanahan's own relentlessly moderate voice is likely to survive the fashionable Sturn und Drang.' Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences

Review of the hardback: '… provides a formal game-theoretic framework for addressing an impressive array of biological questions.' Journal of Mammalian Evolution

Review of the hardback: 'The book is written in an enthusiastic style. In several places you can still perceive the excitement the authors must have felt when they embarked on their work in evolutionary dynamics … a must-read for those interested in the history of evolutionary game theory …' www.PalArch.nl

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