Journal ArticleDOI
Classical Utilitarianism and the methodology of determinate choice, in economics and in ethics
TLDR
In this paper, the authors argue that modern economic theory is essentially utilitarian with one significant exception: its abandonment of a multi-dimensional conception of utility, and present three alternative methods by which utility can be portrayed as a one dimensional, hence determinate, index of desire, while suggesting that none of them can command empirical support.Abstract:
This paper argues that modern economic theory is essentially utilitarian with one significant exception: its abandonment of a multi-dimensional conception of utility. The paper reviews three alternative methods by which utility can be portrayed as a one-dimensional, hence determinate, index of desire, while suggesting that none of them can command empirical support. A second theme of the paper is that classical utilitarianism, by denying the ontological existence of intrinsic worth, implies the coincidence of economic and ethical aggregate optimality: those choices that maximize the self-perceived happiness of rational agents are also the right choices. Non-utilitarian ethics, by contrast, attains determinate optima by means of an a priori designation of intrinsic worth. It is argued that most philosophers, following G. E. Moore, have missed the true issue that divides utilitarian and non-utilitarian ethics, for they have presumed that all ethical systems presuppose intrinsic worth.read more
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
Vague language and precise measurement: the case of poverty
TL;DR: In this article, a "supervaluationist" approach to the vagueness of poverty is developed, and it is argued that some fuzzy measures can be interpreted intuitively as measures of vulnerability on this account.
Journal ArticleDOI
Collective interest versus individual interest in Bentham's felicific calculus. Questioning welfarism and fairness
TL;DR: In this article, the core idea of utilitarianism for Bentham is to establish that only individual utilities count in social welfare, and there can be two distinct interpretations of this apparently simple principle: according to one view, individual utilities represent the basic information for the calculation of social welfare: this is how utilitarianism works; according to a second view, social welfare is maximized if and only if individual utilities are maximized.
References
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Book
Fuzzy sets
TL;DR: A separation theorem for convex fuzzy sets is proved without requiring that the fuzzy sets be disjoint.
Book
Principles of Economics
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a survey of the general relations of demand, supply, and value in terms of land, labour, capital, and industrial organization, with an emphasis on the fertility of land.
The Utilitarians: An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation
Jeremy Bentham,John Stuart Mill +1 more
Book
History of Western Philosophy
TL;DR: The History of Western Philosophy (HOWP) as mentioned in this paper is one of the most popular philosophy books of the 20th century and is the most important philosophical work of all time.
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