3,680 research outputs found
A Humean Theory of Choice of which Rationality May Be One Consequence
For the reader who considers economic theory of choice as a special case of a more general theory of action, Hume's discussion of the determinants of action in the Treatise of Human Nature (1739-1740), in the Enquiry on Human Understanding (1748), and in the Dissertation on Passions (1757), deserves attention. However, according to some modern commentators, Hume does not seem to have given any evidence which would favour what we nowadays consider as the kind of rationality involved in modern theories of rational choice. On the contrary, this paper arrives to the conclusion that consistency between preferences and choice, like the usual properties of completeness and transitivity, may be considered as outcomes of a mental process, described by means of a decision algorithm which aims at representing Hume's theory of choice.Hume; rationality; decision; passion; desire; preference; will; choice; rationalité; décision; désir; préférences, volonté; choix
Why Rationality May Be a Consequence of Hume's Theory of Choice
Facing R. Sugden's criticism of our interpretation, it is shown in this paper that rationality appears as a possible consequence of Hume's theory of choice. We first argue that Sugden's dismissal of the preference relation from the type of rationality through which Hume's theory is apprehended, is highly disputable, from the point of view of both standard choice theory and Hume's theory of passions. Nonetheless, Sugden's criterion of rationality might be restated in Humean terms as a condition of non-revision of preferences in the dynamics of passions. But, since the process of choice that we have described explicitly takes into account the revision of preferences, and shows that, when this last is no longer required, rationality occurs as an outcome of this process, it is not really concerned by Sugden's criticism.Hume; rationality; decision; passion; desire; preference; will; choice; rationalité; décision; désir; préférence; volonté; choix
Conformal nets I: coordinate-free nets
We describe a coordinate-free perspective on conformal nets, as functors from
intervals to von Neumann algebras. We discuss an operation of fusion of
intervals and observe that a conformal net takes a fused interval to the fiber
product of von Neumann algebras. Though coordinate-free nets do not a priori
have vacuum sectors, we show that there is a vacuum sector canonically
associated to any circle equipped with a conformal structure. This is the first
in a series of papers constructing a 3-category of conformal nets, defects,
sectors, and intertwiners.Comment: Updated to published versio
Conformal nets II: conformal blocks
Conformal nets provide a mathematical formalism for conformal field theory.
Associated to a conformal net with finite index, we give a construction of the
`bundle of conformal blocks', a representation of the mapping class groupoid of
closed topological surfaces into the category of finite-dimensional projective
Hilbert spaces. We also construct infinite-dimensional spaces of conformal
blocks for topological surfaces with smooth boundary. We prove that the
conformal blocks satisfy a factorization formula for gluing surfaces along
circles, and an analogous formula for gluing surfaces along intervals. We use
this interval factorization property to give a new proof of the modularity of
the category of representations of a conformal net.Comment: Updated to published versio
Estimating Consumption Economies of Scale, Adult Equivalence Scales, and Household Bargaining Power
How much income would a woman living alone require to attain the same standard of living that she would have if she were married? What percentage of a married coupleâs expenditures are controlled by the husband? How much money does a couple save on consumption goods by living together versus living apart? We propose and estimate a collective model of household behavior that permits identification and estimation of concepts such as these. We model households in terms of the utility functions of its members, a bargaining or social welfare function, and a consumption technology function. We demonstrate generic nonparametric identification of the model, and hence of equivalence scales, consumption economies of scale, household membersâ bargaining power and other related concepts.consumer demand; collective model; adult equivalence scales; household bargaining; economies of scale; demand systems; bargaining power; Barten scales
A Humean Theory of Choice of which Rationality May Be One Consequence
International audienceFor the reader who considers economic theory of choice as a special case of a more general theory of action, Hume's discussion of the determinants of action in the Treatise of Human Nature (1739-1740), in the Enquiry on Human Understanding (1748), and in the Dissertation on Passions (1757), deserves attention. However, according to some modern commentators, Hume does not seem to have given any evidence which would favour what we nowadays consider as the kind of rationality involved in modern theories of rational choice. On the contrary, this paper arrives to the conclusion that consistency between preferences and choice, like the usual properties of completeness and transitivity, may be considered as outcomes of a mental process, described by means of a decision algorithm which aims at representing Hume's theory of choice
Aguu: From Acholi Post War Street Youth and Children to âCriminal Gangsâ in Modern Day Gulu City, Uganda
This paper analyses the origin and evolution of the Aguu, a group of street youth/children labelled as a criminal gang operating in the streets of Gulu, Uganda. Based on a series of interviews, focus group discussions, participant observations, archival work and literature review, the paper traces the origin of the Aguu to the conflict in Northern Uganda, and describes the transformation of the Aguu from street youth/children linked to war and displacement to their present day labelling as âcriminal gangâ. Anchored in an analysis based on Assemblage Theory, this paper demonstrates the complexity, multiplicity and fluidity of the Aguu identity as a group whose inception and evolution, both internal and external, occurs through a process of relationship between social, political, economic and infrastructural changes linked to war, culture, aid and politics, affecting present day security discourses in Gulu, Uganda.publishedVersio
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