Ethnicity, Strategy, and Moral Order: Game Theory in Biblical Intergroup Relations

John von Neuman (von Neumann, J., & Morgenstern, O. (1944) (Figure 1) and John Forbes Nash (Nash, J (1950), Nash J. (2001)) may be called the “Fathers of the Theory of Games” have formalized human behavior. To emphasize the importance of the Neuman’s work on comprehending human behavior, which might improve human behaviorism by reducing future conflicts. The Henry Kissinger quotation “The Balance of Threat” (Schelling, T. C. (1960)) in the context of the nuclear arms race, maybe formulized using the Game Theory (Osborne, M. J. & Rubinstein, A. (1994)) tools. 

Competition is not in general negative for human it has also positive sides which may lead to upgrading the human standard of life. Let’s hope that the understanding of the Theory of Games (Miller J. (2003)) will increase the chances of development and decrease the possibilities of destruction.

The article describes the Biblical Sum-Zero Games in the context of conflicts versus Non-Sum-Zero Games enabling a collaboration - Win-Win Game (Axelrod, R. (1984)) and a tolerant relationship among the nations mention in the Bible. 

Keywords: Two Person Game, Sum-Zero Game, Win-Win Game, Avoidance Conflict Goal Conflict, Power Struggle, Tolerance-Violence.