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