Normative decision theory and reindividuation of the outcomes

This article examines and critiques efforts to preserve the requirements of normative decision theory from counterexamples by reindividuating outcomes. Reindividuation is often employed in response to counterex­amples that challenge even the most fundamental requirements of ra­tionality, su...

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Main Author: Filipović Nenad
Format: Article
Language:deu
Published: Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, Belgrade 2024-01-01
Series:Filozofija i Društvo
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Online Access:https://doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0353-5738/2024/0353-57382404933F.pdf
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author Filipović Nenad
author_facet Filipović Nenad
author_sort Filipović Nenad
collection DOAJ
description This article examines and critiques efforts to preserve the requirements of normative decision theory from counterexamples by reindividuating outcomes. Reindividuation is often employed in response to counterex­amples that challenge even the most fundamental requirements of ra­tionality, such as transitivity. These counterexamples demonstrate that even basic rationality requirements can appear to be violated in seem­ingly rational ways, thus casting doubt on their plausibility. Reindividu­ation seeks to preserve these requirements by refining the objects of preference in more detailed terms. However, John Broome has pointed out that this strategy can lead to the issue of making the requirements vacuous. We will explore counterexamples to transitivity and demonstrate how reindividuation can lead to this problem of emptiness. Following that, we will review significant attempts to address this problem, show­ing that they fall short and that any direction we take either makes the requirements too permissive or leaves them unjustified. In the final section, we suggest a less conventional solution: rejecting finer individ­uation and accepting that the requirements of rationality are not univer­sal. Finally, we point out several established approaches to decision theory that allow for domain-specific requirements.
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spelling doaj-art-85dae92942e9496ebef1d81837069e842025-01-30T06:45:05ZdeuInstitute for Philosophy and Social Theory, BelgradeFilozofija i Društvo0353-57382334-85772024-01-0135493395610.2298/FID2404933F0353-57382404933FNormative decision theory and reindividuation of the outcomesFilipović Nenad0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2381-240XInstitute for Philosophy, Faculty of Philosophy, University of BelgradeThis article examines and critiques efforts to preserve the requirements of normative decision theory from counterexamples by reindividuating outcomes. Reindividuation is often employed in response to counterex­amples that challenge even the most fundamental requirements of ra­tionality, such as transitivity. These counterexamples demonstrate that even basic rationality requirements can appear to be violated in seem­ingly rational ways, thus casting doubt on their plausibility. Reindividu­ation seeks to preserve these requirements by refining the objects of preference in more detailed terms. However, John Broome has pointed out that this strategy can lead to the issue of making the requirements vacuous. We will explore counterexamples to transitivity and demonstrate how reindividuation can lead to this problem of emptiness. Following that, we will review significant attempts to address this problem, show­ing that they fall short and that any direction we take either makes the requirements too permissive or leaves them unjustified. In the final section, we suggest a less conventional solution: rejecting finer individ­uation and accepting that the requirements of rationality are not univer­sal. Finally, we point out several established approaches to decision theory that allow for domain-specific requirements.https://doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0353-5738/2024/0353-57382404933F.pdfnormative decision theoryrequirements of rationalitytransitivityproblem of reindividuationjohn broome
spellingShingle Filipović Nenad
Normative decision theory and reindividuation of the outcomes
Filozofija i Društvo
normative decision theory
requirements of rationality
transitivity
problem of reindividuation
john broome
title Normative decision theory and reindividuation of the outcomes
title_full Normative decision theory and reindividuation of the outcomes
title_fullStr Normative decision theory and reindividuation of the outcomes
title_full_unstemmed Normative decision theory and reindividuation of the outcomes
title_short Normative decision theory and reindividuation of the outcomes
title_sort normative decision theory and reindividuation of the outcomes
topic normative decision theory
requirements of rationality
transitivity
problem of reindividuation
john broome
url https://doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0353-5738/2024/0353-57382404933F.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT filipovicnenad normativedecisiontheoryandreindividuationoftheoutcomes