The challenges of collective action: exploring cooperation using economic games

Paxus Calta, Point A and Maximus Thaler, Binghamton

Monday, February 20, 2017

5:15 pm - 6:15 pm

Academic A - G008

About the seminar

The world is full of social dilemmas. Acting in our own best interest is only occasionally also in the best interest of those around us. In this seminar, we will play an interactive game called the Public Goods Game to explore the simple pattern which underlies the Tragedy of the Commons. Afterwards, we will speak with a panel of activists from the cooperative development group Point A. The panel will explore how the social challenges modeled by the Public Goods Game are addressed by the communal culture of the Federation of Egalitarian Communities.

About the speakers

Paxus Calta studied game theory at Cornell and uses fantasy role playing games as part of home schooling techniques.  Calta is a political activist, blogger, communard and recruiter for income sharing communities. Calta founded the Point A project to catalyze more income sharing communities in urban areas in the North East US, including Binghamton, NY, New York City, Newark, NJ and Richmond, VA.  FMI: Paxus Calta

Maximus Thaler is a PhD candidate in evolutionary biology at Binghamton University. Their research focuses on organismality and biological definitions of self – a biosemiotic approach to the evolution of cooperation. Maximus is a founding member of the Cambium Research Institute – a collaborative scholarly community. They have written a cookbook on dumpster diving, and has founded of two food justice cooperatives – The Gleaners Kitchen (a dumpster fueled mobile catering service) and The Genome Collective (a collective house in Binghamton NY).  FMI: Maximus Thaler.

David Sloan Wilson, Director

Susan Ryan, Program Coordinator
evos @binghamton.edu