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Conceptions of freedom and ranking opportunity sets. A typology

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  • Antoinette Baujard

    (CREM - CNRS)

Abstract

A wide diversity of rankings of opportunity sets are characterized through what is now commonly called the freedom of choice literature. We claim the normative content of each of these propositions can be analyzed and clari¯ed through a typology. We distinguish two kinds of rankings: rankings according to one prudential value and rankings according to several prudential values. In the ¯rst case, we present rankings according to freedom. Different rankings correspond to different meanings of freedom: freedom of choice, freedom as autonomy, freedom as exercise of significant choices, negative freedom, positive freedom and utility. In the second case, the rankings may capture meanwhile different prudential values, namely utility and freedom. We organize the presentation around different forms of commensurability between prudential values: weighting, trumping, equal consideration and discontinuity.

Suggested Citation

  • Antoinette Baujard, 2006. "Conceptions of freedom and ranking opportunity sets. A typology," Economics Working Paper Archive (University of Rennes & University of Caen) 200611, Center for Research in Economics and Management (CREM), University of Rennes, University of Caen and CNRS.
    • Handle: RePEc:tut:cremwp:200611
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Antoinette Baujard, 2013. "Value judgments and economics expertise," Working Papers 1314, Groupe d'Analyse et de Théorie Economique Lyon St-Étienne (GATE Lyon St-Étienne), Université de Lyon.
    2. Antoinette Baujard, 2006. "Conceptions of freedom and ranking opportunity sets. A typology," Economics Working Paper Archive (University of Rennes & University of Caen) 200611, Center for Research in Economics and Management (CREM), University of Rennes, University of Caen and CNRS.
    3. Rommeswinkel, Hendrik, 2011. "Measuring Freedom in Games," MPRA Paper 106426, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 03 Mar 2021.
    4. Niels Boissonnet & Alexis Ghersengorin, 2022. "Reactance: a Freedom-Based Theory of Choice," Working Papers hal-03672722, HAL.
    5. Antoinette Baujard, 2007. "Commensurable freedoms in the capability approach," Post-Print halshs-00294563, HAL.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    opportunity sets; freedom of choice; prudential values; plurality; overall well-being; typology.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D11 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Theory
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being

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