Research Seminar in Decision and Action Theory: Martin Rechenauer (LMU)

Title:

Incomparability, Indifference and Choice Functions

Abstract:

There are some good reasons to tackle problems in decision theory, especially those who pertain to ethics, in terms of choice functions. It is not really clear, however, who to treat the difference between indifference of options and incomparability of options in this framework - often it looks as if c(x,y) = {x,y} both when x is indifferent to y and when x and y are incomparable, and x and y are better than any other feasible options. This is unsatisfying. I will explore some accounts of how to treat the distinction between indifference and incomparability by means of choice functions. It is obvious that one has to leave the orthodox approach to choice functions in decision theory behind. It is unavoidable to somehow contextualize the characteristics of choice functions - the choice behaviour concerning x and y with respect to other alternatives has to be taken into account in an appropriate way.