Kevin, I think that you misunderstood my claim. I
merely said that [t}raditionally the values in
economics have been broadly utilitarian." Since HES is
an email list about the history of economics, utilitarian values
are of the most interest.
I would be surprised if anyone on the list disagreed
with the propositions:
1. that economics has for the largest part been a
practical field of study that deals with whether this
or that government policy will "benefit the people."
2. that benefit has typically been defined in a
broadly utilitarian sense.
I take it that you were concerned about the following
statement: "Are there other standards for defining
"better" that could compete with utilitarianism that
are not merely modifications of it or supplements to
it?" I recognize that the field of ethics is concerned
with this issue. So perhaps I should have qualified
the statement by asking whether it is reasonable for
HESers to be concerned with these other ethical
standards or ideologies.
Pat Gunning