In this work, one and two-dimensional lattices are studied theoretically by a statistical mechanical approach. The nearest and next-nearest neighbor interactions are both taken into account, and the approximate thermodynamic properties of the lattices are calculated. The results of our calculations show that: (1) even though the next-nearest neighbor interaction may have an insignificant ef...

In this paper we propose minority voting as a scheme that can partially protect individuals from the risk of repeated exploitation. We consider a committee that meets twice to decide about projects where the first-period project may have a long-lasting impact. In the first period a simple open majority voting scheme takes place. Voting splits the committee into three groups: voting winners, vot...

Voting tools in Group Support Systems (GSS) have been considered valuable assets in groups’ decision processes. One important aspect of voting is the method of conducting the vote. Research in Social Choice Theory (SCT) has shown that different voting methods can lead to different voting outcomes. However, SCT seldom addresses how a voting method affects decision making processes. Voting method...

It is well-known that no voting system can be entirely fair: this is Arrow’s Theorem, which states that under a certain natural definition of fairness, the only fair voting system is a dictatorship. Thus, in democratic political systems, one expects voting paradoxes in which different voting systems give different results. We analyze the mathematical basis of paradoxes amongst a certain class o...