Complex Systems 510/Math 550: Introduction to Evolutionary Dynamics (Fall 2014)
Instructor: Carl Simon
This term (Fall 2014) Math 550/CompSys 510 will focus on the connection between dynamical systems and game theory. We’ll start with a quick introduction to dynamical systems --- difference and differential equations --- from linear systems to periodic systems to chaotic systems. Our target will be the Volterra-Lotka system, which forms the backbone of ecological modeling. Then, we’ll offer a systematic introduction to non-cooperative games via replicator dynamics and other adaptive dynamics. Toward the end of the course, we’ll explore the global properties of replicator dynamics and, hopefully, the genetic mechanisms of selection, mutation and recombination.
