Vladimir Alexandrovich Lefebvre (Влади́мир Алекса́ндрович Лефе́вр, 22 September 1936 in
Leningrad,
USSR – 9 April 2020) was a
mathematical psychologist at the
University of California, Irvine. He created
equation
In mathematics, an equation is a formula that expresses the equality of two expressions, by connecting them with the equals sign . The word ''equation'' and its cognates in other languages may have subtly different meanings; for example, in ...
s to predict the large-scale consequences of individual actions. Among the
parameters in the equations are the
self image
The self is an individual as the object of that individual’s own reflective consciousness. Since the ''self'' is a reference by a subject to the same subject, this reference is necessarily subjective. The sense of having a self—or ''selfhoo ...
of the individual and the action as perceived via this self-image. The result is a
number expressing the probability that the individual in question will perform a specific action.
Lefebvre's mathematical approach to
social psychology is often referred to as
reflexive theory - presumably due to the 'reflexive' nature of taking into account subjects' self-image(s). Lefebvre developed Reflexive Theory as a military researcher in the former
Soviet Union, where he was born and educated prior to coming to the United States. According to
Jonathan Farley, a mathematician at Stanford doing applied work on
national security
National security, or national defence, is the security and defence of a sovereign state, including its citizens, economy, and institutions, which is regarded as a duty of government. Originally conceived as protection against military atta ...
issues, Lefebvre's Reflexive Theory was a Soviet alternative to
game theory
Game theory is the study of mathematical models of strategic interactions among rational agents. Myerson, Roger B. (1991). ''Game Theory: Analysis of Conflict,'' Harvard University Press, p.&nbs1 Chapter-preview links, ppvii–xi It has appli ...
which had been widely adopted by the American defense establishment.
Lefebvre created a mathematical theory of ethical cognition. This theory uses a three level structure: the person, the person’ perception and the person’s perception of their communication partner. This theory was used in negotiations by the governments of the US and the Soviet Union during the break-up of the Soviet Union.
References
External links
The Mathematics of Social Ethics: Reflexive Theory and 'The Torturer's Dilemma'- an introductory overview of '
reflexive theory' (as applied to issues in the
War on Terrorism) a
Econophysics BlogVladimir Lefebvre, PhD
- Vladimir Lefebvre bio at the Center for Advanced Defense Studies
The Center for Advanced Defense Studies is a 501(c)(3)
A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 o ...
1936 births
2020 deaths
Russian mathematicians
Soviet emigrants to the United States
University of California, Irvine faculty
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