ABSTRACT
The principles of ecology and evolution can be applied to security issues, including national security. Game theory is important in evolutionary biology, behavioral science, and in national security. We discuss the prisoner’s dilemma in detail and show how it has been applied in animal behavior studies, where the concept of evolutionary stable strategies comes into play, as well as in conflicts between human individuals and nations. Arms races are not just found between nations but also can occur in nonhuman animals. We consider arms races leading to extreme weapons (horns) in beetles and what lessons we can apply from these observations to human conflict. We then turn to what we can learn about living with threats from natural systems. We conclude with a discussion of asymmetric warfare, as seen in insurgencies, and the parallels seen in the natural world. A key lesson throughout the chapter is that systems that evolved through natural selection tend to be economical and adaptable.
