Vladimir Lefebvre

Vladimir Lefebvre is a mathematical psychologist at the University of California, Irvine [ [http://www.imbs.uci.edu/personnel/lefebvre/lefebvre.html Faculty biography at California Irvine] ] . He has created equations that are supposed to predict the large-scale consequences of individual actions. Among the parameters in the equations are the self image 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 issues, Lefebvre's Reflexive Theory was a Soviet alternative to game theory which had been widely adopted by the American defense establishment.

In 2006. Dr. Lefebvre was awarded the Descartes Medal in Cognitive Studies in recognition of his lifetime achievements in mathematical psychology.

Lefebvre is a Senior Fellow at the Center for Advanced Defense Studies (CADS) working on counterterrorism issues. This think tank has claimed to have accurately predicted Palestinian succession after targeted killings.

References

External links

* [http://econophysics.blogspot.com/2006/06/mathematics-of-social-ethics-reflexive.html 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) at [http://econophysics.blogspot.com Econophysics Blog]
* [http://www.c4ads.org/vladimir.lefebvre?PHPSESSID=aff4f5a75b36b75e0c9c1a1167ce7ee2 Vladimir Lefebvre, PhD] - Vladimir Lefebvre bio at the Center for Advanced Defense Studies