----------------- HES POSTING ----------------- I have found Dutch economist Bernhard van Praag's work (a.k.a. the Leyden School) in the field of utility measurement rather convincing. In short (and incomplete): His questionnaire approach is based on the assumption that respondents are willing to provide the best information possible. By setting the zero-one interval as permissible range, the utility function assumes the characteristics of a statistical density function with all its properties. The density function with the most embodied information (entropy) is the normal distribution. Thus, respondents effectively provide information that can be interpreted on the same statistical features as the normal distribution. Still, this does not measure cardinal utility but a (series of) level(s) of satisfaction "a la" ordinal ranking. Results are not comparable among respondents, given the ordinality of responses. BvP uses the results, i.a., to suggest equivalence scales and subjective poverty lines. It is a promising approach -- original in its assumption and design and rather robust in results. It beats the traditional "political" manipulation. Jesse Vorst ------------ FOOTER TO HES POSTING ------------ For information, send the message "info HES" to [log in to unmask]