在获得经济学诺贝尔奖的学者当中,1994年获奖的博弈论大师纳什(John Nash),是最富于故事色彩的一位。经济学的开山鼻祖亚当·斯密曾经深刻地揭示,市场像一只看不见的手,引导自利行为促进社会福利。但是20世纪中期发展起来的博弈论告诉我们,博弈双方的自利行为,可能导致两败俱伤的“囚徒困境”。经济活动和社会竞争,常常就是博弈的形势。年轻的纳什曾经为博弈论做出了奠基性的贡献。不幸却在30岁的大好年华,患上一般认为没有机会康复的精神绝症。但是在以后的漫长岁月里,他的师友亲人特别是深爱他的妻子,一直没有放弃希望,一直照料他爱护他。天嫉英才,天佑英才。30多年以后,纳什竟然奇迹般慢慢康复,重新回到学术世界,并且获得诺贝尔奖。 Among the scholars who won the Nobel Prize in Economics, John Nash, the 1994 award-winning game theory guru, is the most storyteller. Adam Smith, the founder of economics, has profoundly revealed that the market is like an invisible hand, guiding self-interest and promoting social welfare. However, the game theory developed in the middle of the 20th century tells us that the self-serving behavior of the two parties in the game may lead to the “Prisoner’s Dilemma” of losing both. Economic activity and social competition are often the game situation. The young Nash once made a groundbreaking contribution to game theory. Unfortunately, at the age of 30, I suffer from the generalized impotence that there is no chance of recovery. However, in the long years that followed, his mentor and relatives, especially his beloved wife, never gave up hope and remained loyal to him. Genius envy, God Bless excellence. More than 30 years later, Nash actually miraculously recovered, returned to the academic world, and won the Nobel Prize.