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Making Interpersonal Comparisons Coherently

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  • Barrett, Martin
  • Hausman, Daniel

Abstract

Many ethical theories, including in particular consequentialist moral the ories, require comparisons of the amount of good possessed or received by different people. In the case of some goods, such as monetary income, wealth, education, or health, such comparisons are relatively unproblematic. Even in the case of such goods there may be serious empirical measurement problems, but there appear to be no difficulties in principle. Thus Cooter and Rappoport (1984) maintained that there was no serious difficulty of making interpersonal utility comparisons for an earlier generation of economists who regarded utility as an index of “material welfare.”

Suggested Citation

  • Barrett, Martin & Hausman, Daniel, 1990. "Making Interpersonal Comparisons Coherently," Economics and Philosophy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 6(2), pages 293-300, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:ecnphi:v:6:y:1990:i:02:p:293-300_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Pivato, Marcus, 2010. "Approximate interpersonal comparisons of well-being," MPRA Paper 25224, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Pivato, Marcus, 2013. "Social welfare with incomplete ordinal interpersonal comparisons," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(5), pages 405-417.
    3. Pivato, Marcus, 2009. "Social choice with approximate interpersonal comparisons of well-being," MPRA Paper 17060, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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