John Nash's Legacy: A Mathematic Theory With Strategic Implications

John Nash, Jr., whose life was depicted in the book and Academy Award-winning film A Beautiful Mind, was killed in a car accident along with his wife on May 24. They had just returned from Norway, where Nash was awarded the prestigious Abel Prize for his contributions to the field of partial differential equations. Nash is best known for his contributions to game theory — the study of interaction and decision-making strategies between different rational actors. Nash's work, particularly the Nash Equilibrium, have given rise to foundational concepts in this field. Although Nash was a mathematician at heart, his work in game theory has had far-reaching implications that span well beyond the field of quantitative theories, changing the way we understand human psychology, global trade and even strategic forecasting.