These Notes grew from my research in evolutionary biology, specifically
on the theory of evolutionarily stable strategies (ESS theory), over the
past ten years. Personally, evolutionary game theory has given me the
opportunity to transfer my enthusiasm for abstract mathematics to more
practical pursuits. I was fortunate to have entered this field in its
infancy when many biologists recognized its potential but were not
prepared to grant it general acceptance. This is no longer the case. ESS
theory is now a rapidly expanding (in both applied and theoretical
directions) force that no evolutionary biologist can afford to ignore.
Perhaps, to continue the life-cycle metaphor, ESS theory is now in its
late adolescence and displays much of the optimism and exuberance of
this exciting age. There are dangers in writing a text about a theory at
this stage of development. A comprehensive treatment would involve too
many loose ends for the reader to appreciate the central message. On the
other hand, the current central message may soon become obsolete as the
theory matures. Although the restricted topics I have chosen for this
text reflect my own research bias, I am confident they will remain the
theoretical basis of ESS theory. Indeed, I feel the adult maturity of
ESS theory is close at hand and I hope the text will play an important
role in this achievement.