Information, evolution and utility
Human utility embodies a number of seemingly irrational aspects. The leading example in this paper is that utilities often depend on the presence of salient unchosen alternatives. Our focus is to understand <i>why</i> an evolutionary process might optimally lead to such seemingly dysfunc...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Econometric Society
2006-03-01
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| Series: | Theoretical Economics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://econtheory.org/ojs/index.php/te/article/view/20060119/451/15 |
| _version_ | 1818016129161887744 |
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| author | Larry Samuelson Jeroen M. Swinkels |
| author_facet | Larry Samuelson Jeroen M. Swinkels |
| author_sort | Larry Samuelson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Human utility embodies a number of seemingly irrational aspects. The leading example in this paper is that utilities often depend on the presence of salient unchosen alternatives. Our focus is to understand <i>why</i> an evolutionary process might optimally lead to such seemingly dysfunctional features in our motivations and to derive implications for the nature of our utility functions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T07:07:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1de277f1a977427bbb1b87d557976336 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1555-7561 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T07:07:50Z |
| publishDate | 2006-03-01 |
| publisher | Econometric Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Theoretical Economics |
| spelling | doaj.art-1de277f1a977427bbb1b87d5579763362022-12-22T02:06:30ZengEconometric SocietyTheoretical Economics1555-75612006-03-0111119142Information, evolution and utilityLarry SamuelsonJeroen M. SwinkelsHuman utility embodies a number of seemingly irrational aspects. The leading example in this paper is that utilities often depend on the presence of salient unchosen alternatives. Our focus is to understand <i>why</i> an evolutionary process might optimally lead to such seemingly dysfunctional features in our motivations and to derive implications for the nature of our utility functions.econtheory.org/ojs/index.php/te/article/view/20060119/451/15Evolutioninformationinternal conflictself controltemptationtime consistencyutilityC70C72D80D82 |
| spellingShingle | Larry Samuelson Jeroen M. Swinkels Information, evolution and utility Theoretical Economics Evolution information internal conflict self control temptation time consistency utility C70 C72 D80 D82 |
| title | Information, evolution and utility |
| title_full | Information, evolution and utility |
| title_fullStr | Information, evolution and utility |
| title_full_unstemmed | Information, evolution and utility |
| title_short | Information, evolution and utility |
| title_sort | information evolution and utility |
| topic | Evolution information internal conflict self control temptation time consistency utility C70 C72 D80 D82 |
| url | http://econtheory.org/ojs/index.php/te/article/view/20060119/451/15 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT larrysamuelson informationevolutionandutility AT jeroenmswinkels informationevolutionandutility |