ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the application of computers to politics, namely the use of software in understanding political situations and in reaching consensus about potentially divisive issues. One of the most interesting of such software tools is the Environmental Assessment System (EASY). EASY is the work of Ron Janssen and Wim Hafkamp, both of whom are experts in decision theory. EASY can be used to compare individual generation systems and combinations of systems on the basis of their environmental effects. A major deficiency of the game is the omission of global environmental issues. The core of the program is the role-playing game, which involves between fifteen and fifty people, who are divided into groups representing different countries. Information on the relative effectiveness of alternative means of communications can be obtained during the game. The objective is to find a strategy that is maximally effective in convincing the population to accept the new technology.
