# Reinhard Selten

> German economist (1930-2016)

**Wikidata**: [Q12830](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12830)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reinhard_Selten)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/reinhard-selten

## Summary

Reinhard Selten (1930–2016) was a German economist and mathematician who was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1994 for his pioneering work in game theory, particularly in extending the theory to analyze non-cooperative games with incomplete information. He was the first German to receive this prestigious award and made foundational contributions to experimental economics, becoming one of the founding fathers of this field.

## Biography

- **Born:** October 5, 1930
- **Nationality:** Germany
- **Education:** University of Bonn (PhD)
- **Known for:** Game theory, experimental economics, Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences (1994)
- **Employer(s):** University of Bonn, Freie Universität Berlin, Bielefeld University, Goethe University Frankfurt, University of California, Berkeley
- **Field(s):** Economics, Mathematics, Game Theory, Experimental Economics

## Contributions

Reinhard Selten's most significant contribution was his work in game theory, for which he shared the 1994 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences with John Nash and John Harsanyi. He introduced the concept of "subgame perfect equilibrium" (1965), which refined Nash's equilibrium concept by requiring that players' strategies be credible at every stage of a game. This became a cornerstone of modern game theory and is now a fundamental concept taught in economics courses worldwide.

Selten was also instrumental in developing experimental economics as a rigorous scientific field. He conducted laboratory experiments to test theoretical predictions and understand actual decision-making behavior, helping to establish empirical methods in economics. His work bridged the gap between theoretical models and real-world economic behavior.

He authored numerous publications on game theory, oligopoly models, and experimental methods, contributing to over 150 academic papers and books throughout his career.

## FAQs

### What was Reinhard Selten's most important contribution to economics?

Selten's most important contribution was the development of subgame perfect equilibrium in game theory, which he introduced in 1965. This concept refines John Nash's equilibrium by eliminating non-credible threats in sequential games, ensuring that players' strategies remain optimal at every point in the game. This became one of the most important solution concepts in game theory.

### Where did Reinhard Selten work?

Selten held academic positions at several major universities: the University of Bonn (where he received his PhD), Freie Universität Berlin, Bielefeld University, Goethe University Frankfurt, and the University of California, Berkeley. He was a professor of economics at these institutions throughout his career.

### What awards did Reinhard Selten receive?

Selten received numerous prestigious awards, including the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1994 (shared with John Nash and John Harsanyi), the Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts, the Order of Merit of North Rhine-Westphalia, and the State Prize of North Rhine-Westphalia. He also received honorary doctorates from the University of Graz, Chinese University of Hong Kong, and École normale supérieure de Cachan.

### Was Reinhard Selten involved in any academic societies?

Yes, Selten was a member of many prestigious academic societies, including the National Academy of Sciences (USA), the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Academia Europaea, the European Academy of Sciences and Arts, and the Econometric Society.

### What is Reinhard Selten's connection to Esperanto?

Selten was an Esperantist—a person who speaks or uses the international language Esperanto. This is listed as one of his professional identities alongside economist, mathematician, and university teacher.

## Why They Matter

Reinhard Selten's work fundamentally transformed game theory and economics. His subgame perfect equilibrium concept became the standard for analyzing strategic interactions in economics, political science, and evolutionary biology. Without his refinement of Nash's work, our understanding of dynamic strategic situations would be significantly less precise.

His pioneering work in experimental economics helped establish it as a legitimate field, bridging the gap between theoretical predictions and actual human behavior. This methodological contribution influenced generations of economists and helped economics become more empirically grounded.

As the first German to win the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, Selten paved the way for other German economists and demonstrated that German economic research could compete at the highest international level. His influence extends to modern fields like behavioral economics, mechanism design, and experimental game theory.

## Notable For

- First German to win the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences (1994)
- Introduced subgame perfect equilibrium (1965), now a fundamental concept in game theory
- Founding father of experimental economics
- Member of eight national academies of sciences
- Published over 150 academic papers and books
- Held positions at five major universities in Germany and the United States
- Fluent in Esperanto and actively promoted the language

## Body

### Early Life and Education

Reinhard Justus Reginald Selten was born on October 5, 1930. He pursued higher education at the University of Bonn, where he obtained his doctoral degree (PhD). His academic training combined economics with mathematics, providing him with the analytical tools that would define his groundbreaking research career.

### Academic Career

Selten held professorial positions at multiple prestigious institutions throughout his career. He taught at the University of Bonn, Freie Universität Berlin, Bielefeld University, and Goethe University Frankfurt in Germany. He also held a visiting position at the University of California, Berkeley, in the United States. His academic positions allowed him to influence generations of students and contribute to the development of economics departments in Germany.

### Game Theory Contributions

Selten's most influential contribution to economics was his development of the concept of subgame perfect equilibrium in 1965. This refinement of John Nash's equilibrium concept addresses a fundamental weakness in Nash's original formulation: the possibility of non-credible threats. In a subgame perfect equilibrium, players' strategies must constitute a Nash equilibrium in every subgame of the larger game, eliminating strategies that rely on incredible threats. This concept became essential for analyzing sequential games and is now taught in virtually every graduate economics program worldwide.

He also made important contributions to understanding repeated games, oligopoly theory, and the analysis of market structures with incomplete competition. His work helped establish game theory as the dominant framework for analyzing strategic interaction in economics.

### Experimental Economics

Selten was one of the pioneers of experimental economics, conducting laboratory experiments to test theoretical predictions and understand how people actually make decisions in strategic situations. His work demonstrated that theoretical predictions from game theory did not always match actual behavior, leading to important insights about bounded rationality and the limitations of purely theoretical models. This empirical approach helped establish experimental economics as a respected methodology within the field.

### Awards and Honors

In 1994, Selten was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, sharing the prize with John Nash and John Harsanyi. This made him the first German to receive this prestigious award. Beyond the Nobel Prize, he received the Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts (a German order of merit), the Order of Merit of North Rhine-Westphalia, and the State Prize of North Rhine-Westphalia. He also received honorary doctorates from the University of Graz (Austria), the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and the École normale supérieure de Cachan (France).

### Academy Memberships

Selten was elected to numerous academic societies, reflecting his international recognition. He was a member of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina (the oldest natural scientists' academy in the world, founded in 1652), the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Academia Europaea, the European Academy of Sciences and Arts, the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, the North Rhine-Westphalia Academy for Sciences and Arts, and the Econometric Society.

### Personal Attributes

Beyond his academic work, Selten was known as an Esperantist, demonstrating proficiency in the international auxiliary language Esperanto. This reflects his broader intellectual interests and international outlook. He was married and had children, though specific details about his family life are not included in the source material.

### Later Life and Legacy

Selten passed away on August 23, 2016, at the age of 85. His work continues to influence economics, with subgame perfect equilibrium remaining a fundamental concept in game theory courses worldwide. His contributions to experimental economics helped establish the methodology that is now standard in the field. He trained numerous students who went on to become leading economists themselves, extending his influence further. His legacy includes not only his theoretical contributions but also his role in establishing Germany as a center for economic research.

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