Douglas E. Hill

Department of Logic and Philosophy of Science
School of Social Sciences
University of California, Irvine
Irvine, CA 92697-5100
(949) 824-xxxx (office)
dehill@uci.edu

Education

Ph.D. candidate in Philosophy in the department of Logic and Philosophy of Science at the University of California, Irvine; Ph.D. expected June 2004.

M.A. in Philosophy, University of California, Irvine, 1999.

M.S. in Biomathematics, University of California, Los Angeles, 1985.

B.S. in Mathematics and Computer Science, Albertson College of Idaho, 1982.

Dissertation

Title: "Reputation in a World of Errors and Corruption."

Committee: Drs. Brian Skyrms (Chair), Aldo Antonelli, Jeffrey Barrett, Michelle R. Garfinkel, and Stergios Skaperdas.

Abstract: Reputation effects can encourage cooperation in repeated games where there is a conflict of interest, such as prisoner's dilemma. Institutions such as private judges and credit bureaus can collect and transmit information on a player's history, so that the player may form a reputation. My dissertation models realistic ways that these institutions can go wrong, namely, errors and corruption. Effects of different kinds of errors, including correlated vs. uncorrelated errors, and Type I (false positive) vs. type II (false negative) errors, are analyzed. Reputation effects can in general survive in repeated game models accurate enough to include errors and corruption, but the errors and corruption will reduce the parameter space over which cooperation can be preserved.

Fields

Areas of Specialization: Game Theory, Rational Choice Theory.

Areas of Competence: Logic, Philosophy of Biology, Bioethics, Evolutionary Game Theory, Bayesian Philosophy of Science.

Teaching Experience

Instructor, Symbolic Logic, Summer 2002, UC Irvine.

Teaching assistant in the following courses at UC Irvine, 1997-2003:

• Critical Reasoning, Fall 2003.
• Psychology Fundamentals, Spring 2002.
• Philosophy of Biology, Winters of 2002, 1999 and 1998.
• Symbolic Logic I, Winter 2000.
• Introduction to Philosophy, Fall 1999, Springs of 1999 and 1998.
• Contemporary Moral Problems, Fall 1997.

Instructor, Introductory Statistics, Fall 1992 and Winter/Spring 1993 at West Los Angeles College.

Instructor, Pre-Calculus Algebra, Winter/Spring 1992 at West Los Angeles College.

Teaching Preceptor, Deterministic Modeling in Biology, Fall 1983 at UCLA.

Private Tutor, The College of Idaho (now Albertson College of Idaho), 1980-81.

Other Employment

Radar Systems Analyst, Radar Systems Group, Hughes Aircraft Company, El Segundo, CA, 1985-1996.

Statistical Assistant, Statistical Biomathematical Consulting Clinic, Department of Biomathematics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 1983-85.

Publications

"Private Judges and Uncorrelated Errors in an Iterated Prisoner’s Dilemma," Institute for Mathematical Behavioral Sciences Technical Report Series, MBS 01-09, University of California Irvine, 2001. Accepted (subject to revision) in Theory and Decision.

"Skeptical Commentary Wins Pulitzer Prize," Skeptical Inquirer, Vol. 25, No. 5, September/October 2001, p. 6.

Extracurricular activities

Students for Science and Skepticism. Founder 2000; President 2000-2002; Vice-president 2002-2003; Public Relations Director 2003-2004.

KUCI 88.9 FM, Public Affairs Host 2000-2003.

Travel, Skiing, Bicycling, Hiking, College Bowl.

Presentations and Comments

Presented: "Credit Bureaus, Cooperation, and Errors." Graduate Student Conference on Social Choice and Public Decisions. UC Irvine. April 2003.

Presented: "Private Judges and Uncorrelated Errors in an Iterated Prisoner’s Dilemma." Southern California Philosophy Conference. October 27, 2001.

Presented: "Private Judges and Uncorrelated Errors in an Iterated Prisoner’s Dilemma." Conference on Biopolitics II. UCLA Faculty Center. March 29-31, 2001.

Commented on: Rational Ritual: Culture, Coordination, and Common Knowledge by Michael Chwe. Conference on The Rules of the Game of Politics in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. UCLA Faculty Center. March 1-2, 2001.

Awards

Institute for Mathematical Behavioral Sciences, Summer Fellowship, 2000, 2002.

Humanities Predoctoral Fellowship, 1996-1997, 2000-2001.

Systems and Integrative Biology Trainee, 1983-1985.

University of California Regents' Fellow, 1982-1983.

Summa cum laude, Albertson College of Idaho, 1982.

Lawrence Henry Gipson Scholar, 1982.

Associations

American Philosophical Association, Student Member.

Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, Associate Member.

Skeptic Society, Member.

References

Dr. Brian Skyrms, UCI Distinguished Professor of Logic and Philosophy of Science and of Economics, UC Irvine.

Dr. Jeffrey Barrett, Associate Professor of Logic and Philosophy of Science, UC Irvine.

Dr. David Cunning, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, University of Iowa.

Dr. Michelle R. Garfinkel, Professor of Economics, UC Irvine.

Dr. Roger Wertheimer, Distinguished Visiting Professor of Ethics, United States Naval Academy.