Convention: A Philosophical Study

Convention: A Philosophical Study examines how social conventions arise and persist without explicit agreement among participants. Lewis analyzes coordination problems and develops a game-theoretic account of how conventions emerge as solutions to these problems. The book uses examples from everyday life - like driving on the right side of the road or speaking a common language - to illustrate how conventional behaviors become established. Through formal logic and careful philosophical reasoning, Lewis builds a framework for understanding the rational basis of conventions and their role in social cooperation. The work moves from basic concepts through increasingly complex theoretical territory, addressing objections and alternative views along the way. Lewis engages with other philosophers while maintaining accessibility for readers new to the topic. At its core, this study reveals fundamental patterns in how humans create and maintain social order without central direction. The analysis has implications for understanding language, social institutions, and the foundations of rational cooperation.

Readers note the book's clear writing style and systematic approach to analyzing conventions, though many find it dense and technical. Philosophy students appreciate how Lewis breaks down complex game theory concepts into digestible examples about driving, language, and social behaviors. Likes: - Clean, precise argumentation - Novel treatment of coordination problems - Practical real-world examples - Builds foundations for later work in philosophy of language Dislikes: - Abstract mathematical notation intimidates some readers - Repetitive explanations in middle chapters - Limited engagement with competing theories - Some find the signaling examples oversimplified One reviewer on PhilPapers called it "remarkably lucid given the subject matter," while another on Goodreads noted it was "tough going but worth the effort." Ratings: Goodreads: 4.14/5 (49 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (6 reviews) PhilPapers: Referenced in 2,481 works

The Logic of Collective Action by Mancur Olson Presents a theory of how rational individuals make decisions in group contexts and coordination problems.

Rules of the Game by Ken Binmore Builds a theory of social contracts and coordination from game-theoretic foundations.

The Construction of Social Reality by John Searle Examines how social facts and institutional reality emerge from collective intentionality and shared agreements.

Rational Ritual by Michael Suk-Young Chwe Analyzes coordination problems and common knowledge through game theory and social conventions.

The Stag Hunt and the Evolution of Social Structure by Brian Skyrms Explores how social conventions and coordination arise through evolutionary game theory and repeated interactions.

🔹 Despite being Lewis's first book, published when he was only 28 years old, 'Convention' has become one of the most influential works in the philosophy of language and social coordination theory. 🔹 The book's central thesis—that language is based on arbitrary but self-sustaining social conventions—was partly inspired by Lewis's study of game theory and his interest in explaining how meaning could arise without prior agreement. 🔹 David Lewis wrote 'Convention' as his PhD dissertation at Harvard under the supervision of Willard Van Orman Quine, though he substantially revised it before publication in 1969. 🔹 The book's analysis of conventions has been applied far beyond language, influencing fields like economics, sociology, and legal theory, particularly in understanding how social norms emerge and persist. 🔹 The work was groundbreaking in its use of mathematical game theory to analyze philosophical problems about social coordination, helping establish the now-common practice of using formal methods in philosophy.