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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What country did some feel stood in the way of a world government and should be bombed?

2. Scientists working on the Manhattan Project were in a rush to complete the project before Russia and ____ could complete their similar projects.

3. Besides mathematics, von Neumann, according to details in Chapter 2, was also very knowledgeable in what area?

4. Confessing before one's partner in prisoner's dilemma seems what?

5. What was the first name of von Neumann's first wife?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do Poker and Baseball involve mixed strategies?

2. What is prisoner's dilemma?

3. Where is von Neumann from and why was he considered a child prodigy?

4. When was the Cold War and who was involved?

5. Why was von Neumann considered the "best brain in the world?"

6. Who is John Nash?

7. What is the IAS?

8. What was the Manhattan Project?

9. Besides all his work on the Manhattan Project, von Neumann also found time to help IBM. How did he help this company?

10. What are the details of one of the ethical dilemmas described in Chapter 1 of "Prisoner's Dilemma"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The volunteer's dilemma is the multi-person version of a game of chicken. Explain how this works, and discuss implications of the examples provided in Chapter 10 when no one "volunteer's" or when everyone or only some of the people volunteer. What happened when a magazine ran a volunteer's dilemma experiment, inviting readers to send in cards asking for $20 to $100?

Essay Topic 2

Why was John von Neumann considered a child prodigy? How did his genius affect his academic, professional and personal life? Beginning with von Neumann's childhood, chronicle his milestones in connection with his great intellect.

Essay Topic 3

John von Neumann made significant contributions to military technology in connection with nuclear war. Yet as he got older he became pessimistic about the role of technology, especially military technology in modern society. What contributions did von Neumann make in military technology? Why did von Neumann become increasingly pessimistic about such technology in the modern world? Were his concerns valid? Why or why not?

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