Utility theory 以 postulate of utility maximization
來解釋人的行為,其中涉及不少複雜的哲學問題。
若我們要應用utility maximization 來解釋路人甲的行為:
難題一:我們有無可能知道路人甲是否真的
maximize utility?
難題二:我們須不須要事先知道路人甲是否真的
maximize utility?
須要
不須要
難題三:路人甲本身是否須要知道
utility 為何物?是否須要真的 maximize utility? (Does the postulate of utility
maximization require the individual himself to know what utility
is and to maximize utility deliberately?)
結論:
不可能知道人是否爭取最大功用
無須知道人是否爭取最大功用。
人本身是不是爭取最大功用,是否知道功用為何物,根本毫不相干。
英文版
It is impossible to know whether people are really maximizing
utility.
There is no need to know whether people are really maximizing
utility.
It does not require people themselves to know what utility is
nor to maximize utility deliberately