Ethics, Game Theory and Laboratory Experiments

Both political and economic analyses and activities, it has been argued, can and should be subject to moral appraisal, and indeed judged in moral terms and with the same moral criteria. Here, a similar claim is made for game-theoretic and laboratory experimental analyses and applications concerning individuals’ behaviour in general, and economic behaviour in particular. The concern here is not so much with the possible relevance of game theory and experimental economics to moral philosophy — whether in their normative or positive applications which attempt to determine, predict or analyse ‘moral’ conduct or ‘moral’ solutions to problems of strategic interactions among individuals. Rather the concern here is with some of the moral presuppositions and potential ethical implications of both game theory and laboratory tests.