The return of Ulysses´: Notes on the Logic of Plans and Commitments

Vol. 25 No. 2 (2005)

Apr-Jun / 2005
Published April 1, 2005
PDF-Portuguese (Português (Brasil))
PDF-Portuguese (Português (Brasil))

How to Cite

Bianchi, Ana Maria, and Roberta Muramatsu. 2005. “The Return of Ulysses´: Notes on the Logic of Plans and Commitments”. Brazilian Journal of Political Economy 25 (2):23-44. https://centrodeeconomiapolitica.org/repojs/index.php/journal/article/view/629.
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The return of Ulysses´: Notes on the Logic of Plans and Commitments

Ana Maria Bianchi
Professora do Departamento de Economia da Faculdade de Economia, Administração e Contabilidade da Universidade de São Paulo (FEA/USP).
Roberta Muramatsu
Doutoranda da Universidade Eramus de Rotterdam.
Brazilian Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 25 No. 2 (2005), Apr-Jun / 2005, Pages 23-44

Abstract

This paper criticizes the conventional theory of choice for being grounded on a minimal set of rationality axioms. We claim that this theory does not take due account of the fact that agents are driven by motives other than the pursuit of material self-interest. Our departure point is logic of commitments and planned action, which helps us to identify some puzzles in the conventional theory of choice. As a way out, we discuss the Kantian perspective and the notions of metapreference and metaranking. We then build a model of choice which points to the possibility of a systematic treatment of higher order preferences and incommensurable objectives.

JEL Classification: B41, D01.


Keywords: Rationality Commitments Metapreferences