Herbert Simon

Description: (American Political Scientist and 1978 Nobel Prize Winner in Economic Sciences)

Herbert Alexander Simon was one of the twentieth century’s most influential social scientists and a Nobel Laureate. Born in the United States of America to a German emigrant father, he completed his schooling under public school system in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Thereafter, he entered the University of Chicago with the aim of becoming a mathematical social scientist and earned both his B.A. and Ph.D. degrees in political science from there. Beginning his career as a research assistant in municipal administration, he soon became the director of a similar research group at the University of California, Berkeley and then a faculty member at the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago. However, he spent the major part of his career at the Carnegie Institute of Technology, now Carnegie Mellon University. Joining as a professor of administration and psychology, he later became the Richard King Mellon University Professor of Computer Science and Psychology there. Although he worked in various disciplines, he is best known for his work on the theory of corporate decision making. He also contributed significantly to the research on artificial intelligence. Recipient of a number of awards, he was actually a political scientist, economist, sociologist, psychologist, and computer scientist all rolled into one.

Overview

Birthday June 15, 1916 (Gemini)
Born In United States
Alternative names Herbert Alexander Simon
City Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Died on February 9, 2001
Spouse/Ex- Dorothea Pye
Parents Arthur Simon
Edna Marguerite Merkel

Did you know

What are Herbert Simon's major contributions to the field of cognitive psychology? Herbert Simon made significant contributions to cognitive psychology, particularly in the areas of problem-solving, decision-making, and artificial intelligence. He developed the concept of bounded rationality, which suggests that individuals make decisions based on limited information and cognitive resources.
How did Herbert Simon's work influence the development of artificial intelligence? Herbert Simon's work laid the foundation for the development of artificial intelligence. He, along with Allen Newell, created the Logic Theorist program, one of the first AI programs, which demonstrated that computers could be used to simulate human problem-solving processes.
What is the significance of Herbert Simon's theory of bounded rationality? The theory of bounded rationality proposed by Herbert Simon challenges the traditional economic theory of humans as perfectly rational decision-makers. Simon argued that individuals have cognitive limitations and make decisions based on heuristics rather than exhaustive analysis, leading to satisficing rather than optimizing outcomes.
How did Herbert Simon contribute to the field of organizational behavior? Herbert Simon's work in organizational behavior focused on decision-making processes within organizations. He introduced the concept of "satisficing," where individuals seek solutions that are satisfactory rather than optimal, and highlighted the importance of understanding the cognitive limitations of decision-makers in organizations.
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