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Endogenous discounting and the domain of the felicity function

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  • Schumacher, Ingmar

Abstract

The objective is to show that endogenous discounting models should use a felicity function constrained to a positive domain. A variety of articles use the Mangasarian or Arrow and Kurz condition as a sufficient condition for optimality, which restricts felicity to a negative domain. Since the level of the felicity function shows up in the optimal path it leads to qualitatively different solutions when one uses a negative or positive felicity function. We suggest reasons why the domain should be positive. We furthermore derive sufficiency conditions for concavity of a transformed Hamiltonian if the felicity function is assumed to be positive.

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  • Schumacher, Ingmar, 2011. "Endogenous discounting and the domain of the felicity function," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 28(1-2), pages 574-581, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecmode:v:28:y:2011:i:1-2:p:574-581
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    1. Schumacher, Ingmar, 2009. "Endogenous discounting via wealth, twin-peaks and the role of technology," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 103(2), pages 78-80, May.
    2. Raouf Boucekkine & Blanca Martínez & J. Ramon Ruiz-Tamarit, 2018. "Optimal Population Growth as an Endogenous Discounting Problem: The Ramsey Case," Lecture Notes in Economics and Mathematical Systems, in: Gustav Feichtinger & Raimund M. Kovacevic & Gernot Tragler (ed.), Control Systems and Mathematical Methods in Economics, pages 321-347, Springer.
    3. François Belle-Larant & Hugo Mauron & Pascal da Costa, 2021. "Climate Change and Degrowth: a Nordhaus' DICE Model Set of Simulations based on Endogenous Discounting," Working Papers hal-03146625, HAL.
    4. Kawagishi, Taketo, 2014. "Investment for patience in an endogenous growth model," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 508-515.
    5. Schumacher, Ingmar, 2013. "Political stability, corruption and trust in politicians," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 359-369.
    6. Mavi, Can Askan, 2020. "Can harmful events be another source of environmental traps?," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 29-46.
    7. Bouché, Stéphane, 2017. "Learning by doing, endogenous discounting and economic development," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 34-43.
    8. Hirose, K. & Ikeda, Shinsuke, 2015. "Decreasing marginal impatience destabilizes multi-country economies," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 237-244.
    9. Wu, Ting & He, Linfeng & Zhang, Fan, 2021. "Endogenous discounting, investment and Tobin’s q," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    10. Can Askan Mavi, 2019. "Can harmful events be another source of environmental traps?," CEE-M Working Papers halshs-02141789, CEE-M, Universtiy of Montpellier, CNRS, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro.
    11. Camacho, Carmen & Saglam, Cagri & Turan, Agah, 2013. "Strategic interaction and dynamics under endogenous time preference," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(4), pages 291-301.
    12. Can Askan Mavi, 2019. "Can harmful events be another source of environmental traps?," Working Papers halshs-02141789, HAL.
    13. Six, M. & Wirl, F., 2015. "Optimal pollution management when discount rates are endogenous," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 53-70.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Endogenous time preference Optimality Recursive utility Felicity;

    JEL classification:

    • D90 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - General
    • C61 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Optimization Techniques; Programming Models; Dynamic Analysis
    • O41 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - One, Two, and Multisector Growth Models

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