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Monday, May 4, 2015

Talmud and Game theory

This Wednesday people studying “Daf Yomi” –  will be Ketuvot 93.

A case is presented where a person died and his estate had claims by three wives (you may guess what killed him). The Talmud suggests as follows

Wife #1 had a claim of 100
Wife # 2 had a claim of 200
Wife # 3 had a claim of 300

If the estate had a total of 100 – it is divided evenly – 33/3
Wife #1 had a claim of 100 receives 33/3
Wife # 2 had a claim of 200 receives 33/3
Wife # 3 had a claim of 300 receives 33/3

If the estate had a total of 200
Wife #1 who had a claim of 100 receives 50
Wife # 2 who had a claim of 200 receives 75
Wife # 3 who had a claim of 300 receives 75

If the estate had a total of 300
Wife #1 who had a claim of 100 receives 50
Wife # 2 who had a claim of 200 receives 100
Wife # 3 who had a claim of 300 receives 100

What is the logic of the division? The answer had eluded scholars for thousands of years until Robert J. Aumann Nobel laureate solved the question and explained the logic of the Talmud by using game theory
For the simple explanation:

for a more rigorous explanation:

more by Barry O’Neill



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