Liberal Utilitarianism
Social Choice Theory and J. S. Mill's Philosophy
Published on 19. February 2009
Book
Paperback/Softback
416 pages
978-0-521-10951-2 (ISBN)
Description
This is a book about liberal democratic values and their implications for the design of political institutions. Its distinctive feature is the use of some simple mathematical techniques (known as social choice theory) to clarify and defend a rather complex utilitarian conception of the liberal democratic 'way of life' based on John Stuart Mill's work. More specifically, the text focuses on three well-known 'social choice paradoxes' which are commonly held to destroy any possibility of an ideal harmony among liberal democratic values; and draws upon suggestions implicit in Mill's writings to develop an ethically appealing liberal democratic social choice framework in which the aforementioned paradoxes no longer cause concern. The revised framework is a rather complex version of utilitarianism and should be of special interest to welfare economists, social choice theorists, democratic political theorists and philosophers concerned with utilitarian ethics.
Reviews / Votes
'Jonathan Riley's reinterpretation of Mill is both original and important. The motivation for the reinterpretation relates to issues raised by modern political philosophy and social choice theory. The approach thus developed helps in providing an interesting and rather far-reaching reassessment of Mill in particular and liberal utilitarianism in general.' Amartya SenMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
Worked examples or Exercises
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 24 mm
Weight
672 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-521-10951-2 (9780521109512)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
04/1988
Cambridge University Press
€43.40
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Previous edition
Book
04/1988
Cambridge University Press
€43.40
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Person
I'm Jonathan Riley, a dedicated mental health professional known for my work as an author, educator, psychologist, and speaker. My career began in psychology, where I spent countless hours working with people struggling with addiction. Despite the difficulties, these experiences provided me with a unique perspective on the human spirit and its capacity for transformation. My work with people at their lowest points paved the way for them to reach their full potential, a journey that I now passionately encourage others to embark on.
Over the years, I've delivered numerous speeches to diverse audiences around the world, sharing my compelling thoughts on success, leadership, and personal growth. My seminars and workshops have gained attention for their powerful message of setting ambitious goals, cultivating effective habits, and accepting personal responsibility.
My teachings go beyond traditional psychology and into the realms of personal development and lifelong learning. My deeply held belief, backed up by my accumulated wisdom, is that the key to true success and fulfilment lies in personal development, clear goal setting, and lifelong learning.
Throughout my life and career, I've strived to be a light of hope and a guide for those looking for a more fulfilling path. This is my story, and I sincerely hope that my teachings will help you unlock your potential and lead you to a life of success and personal fulfilment.
Over the years, I've delivered numerous speeches to diverse audiences around the world, sharing my compelling thoughts on success, leadership, and personal growth. My seminars and workshops have gained attention for their powerful message of setting ambitious goals, cultivating effective habits, and accepting personal responsibility.
My teachings go beyond traditional psychology and into the realms of personal development and lifelong learning. My deeply held belief, backed up by my accumulated wisdom, is that the key to true success and fulfilment lies in personal development, clear goal setting, and lifelong learning.
Throughout my life and career, I've strived to be a light of hope and a guide for those looking for a more fulfilling path. This is my story, and I sincerely hope that my teachings will help you unlock your potential and lead you to a life of success and personal fulfilment.
Content
Preface; 1. Introduction; Part I. Social Choice Theory and Utilitarianism: 2. Arrow's ordinal utilitarian social welfare functions; 3. The Benthamite utilitarian social welfare functional; 4. Some criticisms of Benthamite utilitarianism; 5. The liberal utilitarian generalised social welfare functional; 6. An ideal utilitarian social welfare functional; Part II. Mills Utilitarianism: 8. Distinct kinds of utility; 9. Utility in the largest sense; Part III. Some Implications for Liberal Democratic Theory: 10. Responses to Gibbard's rights-exercising paradox; 11. Responses to Sen's Paretian liberal paradox; 12. On the design of democratic political institutions; 13. Epilogue; Notes; Bibliography; Index.