Weighing Goods: Equality, Uncertainty and Time

by John Broome

This study uses techniques from economics to illuminate fundamental questions in ethics, particularly in the foundations of utilitarianism. Topics considered include the nature of teleological ethics, the foundations of decision theory, the value of equality and the moral significance of a person's continuing identity through time.

Genres: Philosophy, Economics

255 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

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There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

John Broome s a British philosopher and economist. He was the White's Professor of Moral Philosophy at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Oxford.

Reviews

[Fin Moorhouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that takes a technical approach to some abstract questions in ethics. The questions are about things like inequality across people, the value of risk aversion, and how personal goods might contribute to general good. There are lots of tables and symbols, lots of 'principles' and 'theorems', and some (accessible, simplified) proofs. In style it probably most resembles an introductory textbook on a relatively abstract part of economics, like game or auction theory.

Granted, this is going to appeal to a fairly niche audience. If you are among the philosophy nerds inclined to curiosity based on the book's blurb, then consider this a resounding endorsement. Broome's writing is careful, modest, and clear as truth. It's compact enough to feel like a summary of itself.

And for folks interested in effective altruism: Broome mentored Toby Ord and William MacAskill, and in fact was the person to first connect them.