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Biological welfare economics: a natural science critique of normative economics.
- Source :
- Journal of Bioeconomics; Apr2023, Vol. 25 Issue 1, p1-33, 33p
- Publication Year :
- 2023
-
Abstract
- Welfare economics analyzes societal well-being based on individual levels of self-evaluated happiness or "utility." All human emotions, including what economists label as utility, are evolutionary creations, shaped by natural selection for the sole purpose of altering individuals' behavior in ways that maximize their relative reproductive success. Because of the evolutionary origins and nature of human motivations, welfare economics has little to say about societal well-being. While welfare economics is not useful for normative statements, it nonetheless provides a measure of the difficulties in implementing policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- WELFARE economics
NORMATIVE economics
EMOTIONS
BIOLOGICAL fitness
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 13876996
- Volume :
- 25
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Bioeconomics
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 163022156
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s10818-023-09333-x