Consequentialism and rational choice: Lessons from the Allais paradox
Pacific Philosophical Quarterly 89 (1):86–116 (2008)
| Abstract | This paper investigates the relation between consequentialism, as conceived of in moral theory, and standard expected utility theory. I argue that there is a close connection between the two. I show furthermore that consequentialism is not neutral with regard to the values of the agent. Consequentialism, as well as standard expected utility theory, is incompatible with the recognition of considerations that depend on what could have been the case, such as regret and disappointment. I conclude that consequentialism should be rejected as a principle of rational choice and that there are reasons to doubt its plausibility in the realm of moral theory. Moreover, this is a reason to doubt whether standard expected utility theory is a plausible theory of rational choice. | |||||||||
| Keywords | No keywords specified (fix it) | |||||||||
| Categories | ||||||||||
| Options |
|
|||||||||
Download options| PhilPapers Archive |
Upload a copy of this paper Check publisher's policy on self-archival Papers currently archived: 5,701 |
| External links |
 |
| Through your library | Configure |
Similar books and articlesEbbe Groes, Hans JØrgen Jacobsen, Birgitte Sloth & Torben Tranæs (1999). Testing the Intransitivity Explanation of the Allais Paradox. Theory and Decision 47 (3):229-245.
Klaus Nehring (2000). A Theory of Rational Choice Under Ignorance. Theory and Decision 48 (3):205-240.
Paul Hurley (2009). Beyond Consequentialism. Oxford University Press.
Paul Hurley (2009). Beyond Consequentialism. Oxford University Press.
Benjamin Sachs (2010). Consequentialism's Double-Edged Sword. Utilitas 22 (3):258-271.
Maurice Allais (1979). The So-Called Allais Paradox and Rational Decisions Under Uncertainty. In Maurice Allais & Ole Hagen (eds.), Expected Utility Hypotheses and the Allais Paradox. D. Reidel.
Reed Richter (1984). Rationality Revisited. Australasian Journal of Philosophy 62 (4):392 – 403.
Douglas W. Portmore (forthcoming). Consequentialism. In Christian Miller (ed.), The Continuum Companion to Ethical Theory. Continuum.
Bruno Verbeek (2001). Consequentialism, Rationality and the Relevant Description of Outcomes. Economics and Philosophy 17 (2):181-205.
Reed Richter (1985). Rationality, Group Choice and Expected Utility. Synthese 63 (2):203 - 232.
Analytics
Monthly downloads |
Added to index2009-01-28Total downloads28 ( #44,113 of 549,122 )Recent downloads (6 months)2 ( #37,390 of 549,122 )How can I increase my downloads? |
My notes
Discussion
