Edgeworth on the Foundation of Ethics and Probability
European Journal of The History of Economic Thought, Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 79-96, 2007
Posted: 21 Apr 2008
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Edgeworth on the Foundation of Ethics and Probability
Abstract
This paper analyses the foundation of utilitarian ethics and theory of probability in the works of Francis Y. Edgeworth. We argue that he pursued an unitary philosophical project, the search for a common epistemological foundation for the social sciences. The common root of the disciplines is the notion of hereditary experience derived from Herbert Spencer's work. We suggest that this reconstruction can modify the overall interpretation of Edgeworth's thought.
Keywords: F.Y. Edgeworth, Probability, Utilitarianism
JEL Classification: B13, B31, B40
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation