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Diversity and Democracy: Agent-Based Modeling in Political Philosophy
Diversität und Demokratie: Agent-Based Modelling in der politischen Philosophie
[journal article]
Abstract Agent-based models have played a prominent role in recent debates about the merits of democracy. In particular, the formal model of Lu Hong and Scott Page and the associated “diversity trumps ability” result has typically been seen to support the epistemic virtues of democracy over epistocracy (i.e.... view more
Agent-based models have played a prominent role in recent debates about the merits of democracy. In particular, the formal model of Lu Hong and Scott Page and the associated “diversity trumps ability” result has typically been seen to support the epistemic virtues of democracy over epistocracy (i.e., governance by experts). In this paper we first identify the modeling choices embodied in the original formal model and then critique the application of the Hong-Page results to philosophical debates on the relative merits of democracy. In particular we argue that the “best-performing agents” in the Hong-Page model should not be interpreted as experts. We next explore a closely related model in which best-performing agents are more plausibly seen as experts and show that the diversity trumps ability result fails to hold. However, with changes in other parameters (such as the deliberation dynamic) the diversity trumps ability result is restored. The sensitivity of this result to parameter choices illustrates the complexity of the link between formal modeling and more general philosophical claims; we use this debate as a platform for a more general discussion of when and how agent-based models can contribute to philosophical discussions.... view less
Keywords
theory of democracy; group dynamics; model construction; governance; democracy; group decision; deliberation; problem solving; political philosophy; diversity
Classification
Basic Research, General Concepts and History of Political Science
Free Keywords
Epistemic democracy; epistocracy; expertise; agent-based models; representation; deliberation; cognitive diversity; problem solving; democracy; wise crowds;Hong-Page model
Document language
English
Publication Year
2018
Page/Pages
p. 259-284
Journal
Historical Social Research, 43 (2018) 1
Issue topic
Agent-Based Modeling in Social Science, History, and Philosophy
DOI
https://doi.org/10.12759/hsr.43.2018.1.259-284
ISSN
0172-6404
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed