Generalized Utilitarianism and Harsanyi's Impartial Observer Theorem

• Main Authors: Grant, Simon, KAJII, Atsushi, Polak, Ben, Safra, Zvi
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2010
• Subjects: Generalized utilitarianism; impartial observer; social welfare function; fairness; ex ante egalitarianism; Economic Theory
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soe_research/1854
• Institution: Singapore Management University

Harsanyi's impartial observer must consider two types of lotteries: imaginary identity lotteries ("accidents of birth") that she faces as herself and the real outcome lotteries ("life chances") to be faced by the individuals she imagines becoming. If we maintain a distinctio...