================= HES POSTING ================= 
 
Forwarded from IEPS-L by Ross Emmett 
 
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Session I, Thursday Evening 6-8pm, April 4, 1996 
Queen Anne Suite, 27th floor, N 
 
Topic: "Forms of Utilitarianism"  
 
Chair: Clark Wolf, University of Georgia, Athens 
 
Speaker: Russell Hardin, New York University 
"Institutional Utilitarianism and Institutional Knowledge." 
 
Speaker: Jonathan Riley, Tulane University 
`A Critique of Harsanyi's Rule Utilitarianism'. 
 
Commentator: Ray Frey, Bowling Green State University, Ohio 
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                            ABSTRACTS 
 
"Institutional Utilitarianism and Institutional Knowledge." 
Russell Hardin 
 
ABSTRACT 
As  a result of its special epistemological capacities, an institution an 
make some kinds of decisions far better than typical individuals can. 
Hence, there are things that institutions can do that individuals acting 
spontaneously could not do. Ex ante, we must want institutions to help us 
accomplish some purposes. This fact entails strong conclusions about the 
use of interpersonal comparisons of welfare. 
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"A Critique of Harsanyi's Rule Utilitarianism" 
Jonathan Riley. 
 
ABSTRACT 
Riley offers a critique of Harsanyi's rule utilitarianism, drawing on the 
works of Lyons, Binmore, Hare and others. Curiously, Harsanyi's doctrine 
relies on very strong assumptions about human intellectual & empathetic 
capacities, yet its moral judgments are far less demanding than those of, 
say, act utilitarianism. Riley investigates this curiosity and proposes 
certain modifications to Harsanyi's approach, leaving open the question 
whether alternative versions of utilitarianism may be required. 
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