The Problem of Evidence for Evolutionary Game Theory: Experiments, Policy and History

Francesco Guala, (University of Milan)

Evolutionary game theory and experimental economics are the two rising stars in the contemporary rational choice programme. Their relationship,however, is far from obvious. In this paper I argue that experimental evidence constitutes an insufficient basis to test predictions derived from evolutionary models. This is particularly serious, since the evolutionary programme is supposed to provide prescriptive advice, by imposing constraints on the range of feasible policies. Using the example of the abolition of slavery, I argue that data from social and economic history is much more useful from this respect, and that in fact it can be used to reject evolutionary theorists' constraints.