The Republic's Equilibrium: A Spiritual Pursuit
The concept of Nash Equilibrium, a cornerstone of game theory, describes a state where every participant in a game achieves the best possible outcome, given the choices of the others. Imagine a society where each individual is "better off no matter what their neighbor does"—this is the ideal equilibrium we envision for a thriving collective.
If we consider a "collective will" that guides society, much like a shepherd guides a flock, and if this collective will consistently leads to such an optimal state, it might feel as though we've glimpsed the all-knowing, all-powerful. However, this line of thinking risks appearing conceited, as the struggle between good and evil resides within every human heart. Our focus here is on how individuals interact within a collective society, distinct from the unique dynamics of family relationships. We are imagining the ideal state, the Republic.
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In this ideal Republic, citizens would exist in a Nash Equilibrium. Each individual in this imagined polis would be better off regardless of the decisions made by others. This serves as a theoretical ideal, a crucial benchmark against which to measure the realities of our societies. How far do we truly deviate from this baseline of Nash Equilibrium¹?
What, then, is the Nash Equilibrium in a spiritual sense? We're not referring to dogma or specific religious tenets, but rather to the Socratic tradition of living a life worth living. This ancient wisdom, far from being a relic, feels like a homecoming—a return to the classics that ignites within us a passionate courage and pious curiosity, propelling us into new states of being.
This is the essence of piety: adhering to the law of nature, embracing the art of living, and, crucially, not forgetting. The transfer of this profound wisdom, in a way, almost defines the divine. Ultimately, goodness, or the ideal way of existing in the world, is defined by us. Self-referential, perhaps, a "strange loop" in the sense that Douglas Hofstadter explores how complex, self-referential systems can give rise to our sense of 'I' and the meaning we create².
¹ Nash, J. F. (1950). "Equilibrium points in n-person games." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 36(1), 48-49.
² Hofstadter, D. R. (2007). I Am a Strange Loop. Basic Books.