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Fact-Free Learning

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Author Info
Enriqueta Aragones (Institute d'Analisi Economica, CSIC)
Itzhak Gilboa (School of Economics, Tel Aviv University)
Andrew Postlewaite (Economics, University of Pennsylvania)
David Schmeidler (School of Mathematical Sciences, Tel Aviv Univ.)

Additional information is available for the following registered author(s):

Abstract

People may be surprised by noticing certain regularities that hold in existing knowledge they have had for some time. That is, they may learn without getting new factual information. We argue that this can be partly explained by computational complexity. We show that, given a database, finding a small set of variables that obtain a certain value of R^2 is computationally hard, in the sense that this term is used in computer science. We discuss some of the implications of this result and of fact-free learning in general.

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File URL: http://cowles.econ.yale.edu/P/cd/d14b/d1491.pdf
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Publisher Info
Paper provided by Cowles Foundation, Yale University in its series Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers with number 1491.

Download reference. The following formats are available: HTML (with abstract), plain text (with abstract), BibTeX, RIS (EndNote, RefMan, ProCite), ReDIF
Length: 34 pages
Date of creation: Nov 2004
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:cwl:cwldpp:1491

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Web page: http://cowles.econ.yale.edu/
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Postal: Cowles Foundation, Yale University, Box 208281, New Haven, CT 06520-8281 USA

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Related research
Keywords: Computational complexity; Linear regression; Rule-based reasoning;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
C8 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs
D8 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty

References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:

  1. La Porta, Rafael & Lopez-de-Silanes, Florencio & Shleifer, Andrei & Vishny, Robert, 1999. "The Quality of Government," Journal of Law, Economics and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 15(1), pages 222-79, April.
    Other versions:
  2. Anderlini, L. & Felli, L., 1993. "Incomplete Written Contracts: Undescribable States of Nature," Papers 183, Cambridge - Risk, Information & Quantity Signals.
    Other versions:
  3. Dekel, Eddie & Lipman, Barton L. & Rustichini, Aldo, 1998. "Recent developments in modeling unforeseen contingencies," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 42(3-5), pages 523-542, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  4. Kreps, David M, 1979. "A Representation Theorem for "Preference for Flexibility"," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 47(3), pages 565-77, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. Eddie Dekel, 1997. "A Unique Subjective State Space for Unforeseen Contingencies," Discussion Papers 1202, Northwestern University, Center for Mathematical Studies in Economics and Management Science. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  6. Bray, Margaret M & Savin, Nathan E, 1986. "Rational Expectations Equilibria, Learning, and Model Specification," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 54(5), pages 1129-60, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  7. Itzhak Gilboa, 1990. "Philosophical Applications of Kolmogorov's Complexity Measure," Discussion Papers 923, Northwestern University, Center for Mathematical Studies in Economics and Management Science. [Downloadable!]
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Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Itzhak Gilboa & Andrew Postlewaite & David Schmeidler, 2004. "Rationality of Belief Or Why Bayesianism is neither necessary nor sufficient for rationality," PIER Working Paper Archive 04-011, Penn Institute for Economic Research, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. Skaperdas, Stergios / Vaidya, Samarth, 2007. "Persuasion as a Contest," CESifo Working Paper Series CESifo Working Paper No. , CESifo Group Munich. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  3. Steffen Huck & Philippe Jehiel & Tom Rutter, 2006. "Information Processing and Learning: Testing the Analogy-based Expectation Approach," Levine's Bibliography 321307000000000364, UCLA Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  4. Xavier Gabaix & David Laibson & Guillermo Moloche & Stephen Weinberg, 2006. "Costly Information Acquisition: Experimental Analysis of a Boundedly Rational Model," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 96(4), pages 1043-1068, September. [Downloadable!]
  5. repec:bep:theadv:v:7:y:2007:i:1:p:1284-1284 is not listed on IDEAS
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  6. Steffen Huck & Philippe Jehiel & Tom Rutter, 2006. "Information Processing, Learning and Analogy-based Expectation: an Experiment," Levine's Bibliography 321307000000000541, UCLA Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  7. Itzhak Gilboa & Andrew Postlewaite & David Schmeidler, 2004. "Rationality of Belief Or: Why Savage's axioms are neither necessary nor sufficient for rationality, Second Version," PIER Working Paper Archive 08-043, Penn Institute for Economic Research, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania, revised 03 Dec 2008. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  8. Sendhil Mullainathan & Joshua Schwartzstein & Andrei Shleifer, 2006. "Coarse Thinking and Persuasion," NBER Working Papers 12720, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  9. Charalambos G. Tsangarides & Alin Mirestean & Huigang Chen, 2009. "Limited Information Bayesian Model Averaging for Dynamic Panels with Short Time Periods," IMF Working Papers 09/74, International Monetary Fund. [Downloadable!]
  10. Aviad Heifetz & Martin Meier & Burkhard C. Schipper, 2005. "Interactive Unawareness," Discussion Papers 52, SFB/TR 15 Governance and the Efficiency of Economic Systems, Free University of Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin, University of Bonn, University of Mannheim, University of Munich. [Downloadable!]
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  11. Galanis, Spyros, . "Unawareness of Theorems," Discussion Paper Series In Economics And Econometrics 0709, Economics Division, School of Social Sciences, University of Southampton. [Downloadable!]
  12. Itzhak Gilboa & Andrew Postlewaite & David Schmeidler, 2004. "Rationality of Belief," Levine's Bibliography 122247000000000690, UCLA Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  13. Philippe Jehiel & Steffen Huck & Tom Rutter, 2007. "Learning Spillover and Analogy-based Expectations: a Multi-Game Experiment," Levine's Bibliography 843644000000000120, UCLA Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  14. Kfir Eliaz & Debraj Ray & Ronny Razin, 2006. "Choice Shifts in Groups: A Decision-Theoretic Basis," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 96(4), pages 1321-1332, September. [Downloadable!]
  15. Jose Apesteguia & Miguel A. Ballester, 2007. "On the Complexity of Rationalizing Behavior," Economics Working Papers 1048, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra. [Downloadable!]
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