Interpersonal Comparisons of Well-BeingJon Elster, John E. Roemer In this volume a diverse group of economists, philosophers, political scientists, and psychologists address the problems, principles, and practices involved in comparing the well-being of different individuals. A series of questions lie at the heart of this investigation: What is the relevant concept of well-being for the purposes of comparison? How could the comparisons be carried out for policy purposes? How are such comparisons made now? How do the difficulties involved in these comparisons affect the status of utilitarian theories? This collection constitutes the most advanced and comprehensive treatment of one of the cardinal issues in social theory. |
Contents
The moral basis of interpersonal comparisons | 17 |
Against the taste model | 45 |
Utilitarian metaphysics? | 70 |
Local justice and interpersonal comparisons | 98 |
Notes on the psychology of utility | 127 |
Adultequivalence scales interpersonal comparisons of wellbeing and applied welfare economics | 164 |
Interpersonal comparisons of utility Why and how they are and should be made | 200 |
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Common terms and phrases
affine transform allocation alternatives argue argument Arrow Arrow's impossibility theorem assume assumption Barten behavior Blackorby Cambridge University Press Cardinal cardinal utility comparisons of utility concept consider defined desires discussion distribution Donaldson Econometrica Elster ences equal equivalence scales ethical evaluation example expected utility axioms experience given Harsanyi's Aggregation Theorem homothetic household ICUs income independent indifference curves individual utility interper Interpersonal Comparability interpersonal comparisons Interpersonal Utility interpretation Jon Elster Journal justice Kahneman loss aversion measure moral Neumann-Morgenstern utility function outcome P.J. Hammond Pareto Indifference Pareto Optimality person positive possible pre-filter preference ordering preference relation problem prospects prudential values ranking rational Rawls reason relevant satisfy the expected Section segments SIC-function social choice theory social welfare function society Suppose Taste Model Theory and Decision Theory of Justice tion U₁ utilitarianism utility levels utility representations V₁ vector weight Welfare Economics Weymark