[EM] Comments on Heitzig's utility essay

Warren Smith wds at math.temple.edu
Wed Feb 21 15:27:47 PST 2007


>In puzzle 36, by "combining", do you mean

--WDS: I mean: "social utlity: is a function of individual utilities. By combining
i just mean  to use this function.

>"smooth"?
--WDS: smooth means function is continuous, infinitely differentiable, stuff like that.

actually the answers discuss several possible meanings.

>I 
guess the most questionable demand, no. 5, is the real clue to your 
proof, right? So why is it "reasonable" to demand 5? 

--well...  I don't know.  Maybe it isn't reasonable.   The reasonability
of the axioms is discussed in the answer to puzzle 38..

>I find Axiom 2 of puzzle 37 more interesting. Why should the addition of 
some constant be irrelevant then at the same time multiplication with 
some constant is not at all irrelevant?

--well... read the answer.

>By the way, it would be nice if you posted your "answers" wheny you cite 
your "puzzles" since I don't plan to play RV supporter to get a 
password to see them...

--ah truly, the resistance to gaining knowledge is strong...

>However, the really interesting question is: do you consider fairness a 
social good?

--what is "fairness"?

Warren D Smith
http://rangevoting.org



More information about the Election-Methods mailing list