Extending the Original Position: Revisiting the Pattanaik Critique of Vickrey/Harsanyi Utilitarianism

Peter Hammond

The Warwick Economics Research Paper Series (TWERPS) from University of Warwick, Department of Economics

Abstract: Harsanyi's original position treats personal identity, upon which each individual's utility depends, as risky. Pattanaik's critique is related to the problem of scaling \state-dependent" von Neumann{Morgenstern utility when determining subjective probabilities. But a unique social welfare functional, incorporating both level and unit interpersonal comparisons, emerges from contemplating an \extended" original position allowing the probability of becoming each person to be chosen. Moreover, the paper suggests the relevance of a \Harsanyi ethical type space", with types as both causes and objects of preference

Date: 2013
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hpe and nep-upt
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https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/research/w ... /2013/twerp_1008.pdf

Related works:
Working Paper: Extending the Original Position: Revisiting the Pattanaik Critique of Vickrey/Harsanyi Utilitarianism (2013)
Working Paper: Extending the Original Position: Revisiting the Pattanaik Critique of Vickrey/Harsanyi Utilitarianism (2013)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wrk:warwec:1008

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