Simulating International Conflict: A Comparison of Three Approaches

More obviously than most other recent research methodologies, simulation techniques for the study of politics variously blend intuition, science, and value judgments. Such techniques range from gaming possible future international crises with professional diplomats to discussions with a wholly computerized Barry Goldwater. As dynamic but artificial realizations of political processes, simulation models lend themselves to all kinds of analyses: philosophers and policy scientists may use them to clarify goals or to invent and appraise policy alternatives, while empirically-oriented simulators seek generally to describe and explain political behavior.