Some Fundamental Problems of Opinion Modeling with Implications to Committee Composition and Social Choice

Abstract—The standard choice theory’s assumption of transitive preference relation is discussed. It is argued that in multicriterion contexts it may be too demanding. The spatial choice theory’s assumption that individuals prefer the alternative closest to their optimum point is also called into question in multi-criterion settings. Fuzzy preference relations may suggest avenues to overcome these and other problems. Especially in setting up multi-member representative bodies the fuzzy preference models may turn out useful once the problems of opinion elicitation are solved. I