Editing Herbert A. Simon (section)

==Early life and education==
Herbert Alexander Simon was born in [[Milwaukee]], [[Wisconsin]] on June 15, 1916. Simon's father, Arthur Simon (1881–1948), was a [[Jewish]]<ref>''Herbert A. Simon: The Bounds of Reason in Modern America'' by Hunter Crowther-Heyck, (JHU 2005), page 25.</ref> electrical engineer who came to the United States from [[Germany]] in 1903 after earning his engineering degree at [[Technische Hochschule|Technische Hochschule Darmstadt]].<ref>Simon 1991, p.3, 23</ref> An inventor, Arthur also was an independent patent attorney.<ref>Simon 1991 p. 20</ref> Simon's mother, Edna Marguerite Merkel (1888–1969), was an accomplished pianist whose Jewish, Lutheran, and Catholic ancestors came from [[Braunschweig]], [[Prague]] and [[Cologne]].<ref>Simon 1991 p.3</ref> Simon's European ancestors were piano makers, [[goldsmith]]s, and [[vintner]]s.

Simon attended [[Milwaukee Public Schools]], where he developed an interest in science and established himself as an atheist. While attending middle school, Simon wrote a letter to "the editor of the ''[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|Milwaukee Journal]]'' defending the civil liberties of atheists".<ref>{{cite book|title=Herbert A. Simon: The Bounds of Reason in Modern America|author=Hunter Crowther-Heyck|publisher=JHU Press|year=2005|isbn=9780801880254|page=22|quote=His secular, scientific values came well before he was old enough to make such calculating career decisions. For example, while still in middle school, Simon wrote a letter to the editor of the ''Milwaukee Journal'' defending the civil liberties of atheists, and by high school, he was "certain" that he was "religiously an atheist", a conviction that never wavered.}}</ref> Simon's family introduced him to the idea that human behavior could be studied scientifically; his mother's younger brother, Harold Merkel (1892–1922), who studied economics at the [[University of Wisconsin–Madison]] under [[John R. Commons]], became one of his earliest influences. Through Harold's books on economics and psychology, Simon discovered social science. Among his earliest influences, Simon cited [[Norman Angell]] for his book ''[[The Great Illusion]]'' and [[Henry George]] for his book ''[[Progress and Poverty]]''. While attending high school, Simon joined the debate team, where he argued "from conviction, rather than cussedness" in favor of George's [[Georgism|single tax]].<ref name="Velupillai, Kumaraswamy 2000">Velupillai, Kumaraswamy. ''Computable Economics: The Arne Ryde Memorial Lectures''. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.</ref>

In 1933, Simon entered the [[University of Chicago]], and, following his early influences, decided to study social science and mathematics. Simon was interested in studying biology but chose not to pursue the field because of his "color-blindness and awkwardness in the laboratory".<ref>Simon 1991 p. 39</ref> At an early age, Simon learned he was color blind and discovered the external world is not the same as the perceived world. While in college, Simon focused on [[political science]] and [[economics]]. Simon's most important mentor was [[Henry Schultz]], an [[Econometrics|econometrician]] and [[mathematical economist]].<ref name=nobelAutoBiog/> Simon received both his B.A. (1936) and his Ph.D. (1943) in political science from the University of Chicago, where he studied under [[Harold Lasswell]], [[Nicolas Rashevsky]], [[Rudolf Carnap]], Henry Schultz, and [[Charles Edward Merriam]].<ref>Augier & March 2001</ref> After enrolling in a course on "Measuring Municipal Governments," Simon became a research assistant for Clarence Ridley, and the two co-authored ''Measuring Municipal Activities: A Survey of Suggested Criteria for Appraising Administration'' in 1938.<ref>Simon 1991 p. 64</ref> Simon's studies led him to the field of [[Organizational behavior|organizational]] [[decision-making]], which became the subject of his doctoral dissertation.