John Harsanyi

John Charles Harsanyi was born on May 29, 1920, in Budapest, Hungary. He grew up in a Jewish family and was educated in Budapest. Despite the challenges of the period, including the rise of Nazism and World War II, Harsanyi pursued his studies and eventually moved to Australia and later the United States, where he made significant contributions to the field of economics. Eventually, his work would earn him a Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences.

In June 1964, John Harsanyi published his influential paper on game theory in the journal 'Management Science'. This work introduced new concepts in rational behavior in games and laid the groundwork for future research in the field. Harsanyi's work on chance and decision theory contributed significantly to the analytical tools available to economists and other social scientists.

In July 1944, during World War II, John Harsanyi was conscripted into forced labor by the Nazi regime that occupied Hungary. Harsanyi, being of Jewish descent, was in grave danger. However, he managed to escape from this situation, avoiding the fate of deportation to a concentration camp which many others did not manage to escape. This experience would later influence his views and work in game theory and economics.

John Harsanyi earned his Ph.D. in economics from the University of Sydney in August 1950. His dissertation was an important step in his academic career. It was here in Australia that Harsanyi was able to really begin his academic pursuits after emigrating from Europe following World War II. His work laid the foundations for his later contributions to game theory, which would change the landscape of economics.

In 1984, John Harsanyi was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Groningen in recognition of his contributions to game theory and economics. This honor highlighted the international appreciation and influence of Harsanyi's work across different fields and universities around the world.

In 1968, John Harsanyi began his tenure as a professor at the University of California, Berkeley. At Berkeley, Harsanyi continued his groundbreaking work in economics, focusing on game theory and its applications. His presence and research at UC Berkeley contributed significantly to the university's reputation as a leading center for economic studies.

In 1961, John Harsanyi joined Stanford University as a visiting professor, marking a significant step in his academic career. At Stanford, he engaged with many prominent economists and scholars, further developing his ideas on game theory. His time at Stanford was influential in shaping his future works that would later earn him the Nobel Prize.

In 1977, John Harsanyi co-authored the book 'A General Theory of Equilibrium Selection in Games' with Reinhard Selten. This book became an important part of game theory literature, discussing the criteria for selecting among multiple equilibria in non-cooperative games. The work Harsanyi did on this topic has had lasting impacts on economic theory and practice.

On October 11, 1994, John Harsanyi was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences along with John Nash and Reinhard Selten. The prize was awarded for their pioneering analysis of equilibria in the theory of non-cooperative games. Harsanyi's work on game theory, especially the concept of incomplete information in games, was instrumental in this achievement.

John Harsanyi passed away on August 9, 2000, in Berkeley, California, after a long and distinguished career in economics and game theory. His death marked the end of a life marked by escape from wartime Europe, academic achievements, and significant contributions to the social sciences. His work continues to influence economists and theorists to this day.