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Unawareness of theorems

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  • Spyros Galanis

Abstract

This paper provides a set-theoretic model of knowledge and unawareness. A new property called Awareness Leads to Knowledge shows that unawareness of theorems not only constrains an agent’s knowledge, but also can impair his reasoning about what other agents know. For example, in contrast to Li (J Econ Theory 144:977–993, 2009 ), Heifetz et al. (J Econ Theory 130:78–94, 25 2006 ) and the standard model of knowledge, it is possible that two agents disagree on whether another agent knows a particular event. The model follows Aumann (Ann Stat 4:1236–1239, 1976 ) in defining common knowledge and characterizing it in terms of a self-evident event, but departs in showing that no-trade theorems do not hold. Copyright Springer-Verlag 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Spyros Galanis, 2013. "Unawareness of theorems," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 52(1), pages 41-73, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:joecth:v:52:y:2013:i:1:p:41-73
    DOI: 10.1007/s00199-011-0683-x
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Unawareness; Uncertainty; Knowledge; Interactive epistemology; Bounded perception; C70; C72; D80; D82;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C70 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - General
    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games
    • D80 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - General
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design

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