Daniel Ellsberg and the Validation of Normative Propositions

In the history of decision theory Daniel Ellsberg is known because his seminal paper “Risk, ambiguity and the Savage axioms” presented the counterexample to Bayesian decision-making that got the normative value of the theory into trouble. An assessment of Ellsberg’s contribution in the more encompas...

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Main Author: Carlo Zappia
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Association Œconomia 2016-03-01
Series:Œconomia
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journals.openedition.org/oeconomia/2276
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author Carlo Zappia
author_facet Carlo Zappia
author_sort Carlo Zappia
collection DOAJ
description In the history of decision theory Daniel Ellsberg is known because his seminal paper “Risk, ambiguity and the Savage axioms” presented the counterexample to Bayesian decision-making that got the normative value of the theory into trouble. An assessment of Ellsberg’s contribution in the more encompassing framework of his long unnoticed 1962 doctoral thesis suggests that, although he did not take part to the ensuing debate, Ellsberg provided a thorough philosophical and methodological background for his critique of Savage’s axiomatization of decision theory. By concentrating mainly on Ellsberg’s analysis of decision-making in his thesis, this paper examines the way he conceived of the possibility to test normative propositions and tries to identify the kind of normative value he attributed to his own suggested solution for the Ellsberg Paradox.
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spelling doaj.art-d2144e8620f34698a6edebb2475533952022-12-22T01:33:46ZengAssociation ŒconomiaŒconomia2113-52072269-84502016-03-0161577910.4000/oeconomia.2276Daniel Ellsberg and the Validation of Normative PropositionsCarlo ZappiaIn the history of decision theory Daniel Ellsberg is known because his seminal paper “Risk, ambiguity and the Savage axioms” presented the counterexample to Bayesian decision-making that got the normative value of the theory into trouble. An assessment of Ellsberg’s contribution in the more encompassing framework of his long unnoticed 1962 doctoral thesis suggests that, although he did not take part to the ensuing debate, Ellsberg provided a thorough philosophical and methodological background for his critique of Savage’s axiomatization of decision theory. By concentrating mainly on Ellsberg’s analysis of decision-making in his thesis, this paper examines the way he conceived of the possibility to test normative propositions and tries to identify the kind of normative value he attributed to his own suggested solution for the Ellsberg Paradox.http://journals.openedition.org/oeconomia/2276Ellsberg (Daniel)decision theoryambiguityEllsberg Paradox
spellingShingle Carlo Zappia
Daniel Ellsberg and the Validation of Normative Propositions
Œconomia
Ellsberg (Daniel)
decision theory
ambiguity
Ellsberg Paradox
title Daniel Ellsberg and the Validation of Normative Propositions
title_full Daniel Ellsberg and the Validation of Normative Propositions
title_fullStr Daniel Ellsberg and the Validation of Normative Propositions
title_full_unstemmed Daniel Ellsberg and the Validation of Normative Propositions
title_short Daniel Ellsberg and the Validation of Normative Propositions
title_sort daniel ellsberg and the validation of normative propositions
topic Ellsberg (Daniel)
decision theory
ambiguity
Ellsberg Paradox
url http://journals.openedition.org/oeconomia/2276
work_keys_str_mv AT carlozappia danielellsbergandthevalidationofnormativepropositions