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