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The ignorant observer

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  • Thibault Gajdos
  • Feriel Kandil

Abstract

We propose an extension of Harsanyi's Impartial Observer Theorem based on the representation of ignorance as the set of all possible probability distributions over individuals. We obtain a characterization of the observer's preferences that, under our most restrictive conditions, is a convex combination of Harsanyi's utilitarian and Rawls' egalitarian criteria. This representation is ethically meaningful, in the sense that individuals' utilities are cardinally measurable and fully comparable. This allows us to conclude that the impartiality requirement cannot be used to decide between Rawls' and Harsanyi's positions.
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Suggested Citation

  • Thibault Gajdos & Feriel Kandil, 2008. "The ignorant observer," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 31(2), pages 193-232, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:sochwe:v:31:y:2008:i:2:p:193-232
    DOI: 10.1007/s00355-007-0274-8
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    Cited by:

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    2. Michael Moehler, 2013. "Contractarian ethics and Harsanyi’s two justifications of utilitarianism," Politics, Philosophy & Economics, , vol. 12(1), pages 24-47, February.
    3. Grant, Simon & Kajii, Atsushi & Polak, Ben & Safra, Zvi, 2012. "Equally-distributed equivalent utility, ex post egalitarianism and utilitarianism," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 147(4), pages 1545-1571.
    4. Marc Fleurbaey & Stéphane Zuber, 2013. "Inequality aversion and separability in social risk evaluation," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 54(3), pages 675-692, November.
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    6. Eckert, Daniel & Klamler, Christian, 2010. "An equity-efficiency trade-off in a geometric approach to committee selection," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 26(3), pages 386-391, September.
    7. Berens, Stefan & Chochua, Lasha, 2017. "The impartial observer under uncertainty," Center for Mathematical Economics Working Papers 576, Center for Mathematical Economics, Bielefeld University.
    8. Marc Fleurbaey, 2018. "Welfare economics, risk and uncertainty," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 51(1), pages 5-40, February.
    9. Feriel Kandil, 2018. "Ricœur, Rawls and the Aporia of the Just," Working Papers halshs-01945697, HAL.
    10. Marc Fleurbaey, 2018. "Welfare economics, risk and uncertainty," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 51(1), pages 5-40, February.
    11. Christopher Bennett & Ričardas Zitikis, 2015. "Ignorance, lotteries, and measures of economic inequality," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 13(2), pages 309-316, June.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty

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