Perfect rationality

In economics and game theory, the participants are sometimes considered to have perfect rationality: that is, they always act in a way that maximizes their utility, and are capable of arbitrarily complex deductions towards that end. They will always be capable of thinking through all possible outcomes and choosing that course of action which will result in the best possible outcome.

Economic rationality is distinct from superrationality in that it predicts that rational players will always play a dominant strategy, that is, players never forfeit a certain gain because of concerns they can not influence, such as how their decision will be repeated by others. Economic and game-theoretic rationality is completely individualistic.

See also

• Rationality
• Rational choice theory
• Superrationality
• Homo economicus
• Bounded rationality
• Dynamic inconsistency
• Rationality and power