Issues in Dynamic Decision Theory

Dynamic choice has become an important topic within the theory of rational choice (decision theory). But it has two different facets. The topic originated in economics from the problem of (endogenous) preference change. Dynamic consistency was then considered to be a crucial desideratum, leading to theories of sophisticated choice satisfying this desideratum. Since McClennen’s important book in 1990, a different rich discussion has evolved in which dynamic consistency is rather used as a test criterion for various decision rules in a dynamic setting. The former motivation was no longer in the center. Hence, the aim of the workshop is to bring together these two strands of the discussion and to promote an exchange between them.

The workshop will be organized by the Reinhart-Koselleck project “Reflexive Decision and Game Theory” of Wolfgang Spohn at the University of Konstanz. Its decision-theoretic part is particularly concerned with dynamic choice. This is hence the topic of the first workshop of this project. Therefore, a further aim of the workshop is to introduce the so-called reflexive perspective which is pursued within the project.

See also the accompanying call for papers.