Bruno de Finetti (1906–1985) is well known as the founder of the subjective theory of probability (Feduzi, Runde, and Zappia 2013). Less known, with a few exceptions (Rossignoli 1999; Lunghini 2007; Scazzieri 2009), is his contribution to economic theory during the early stage of his scientific career. In the second half of the 1930s, the young de Finetti was passionately involved in the field of economics, particularly in welfare economics. To provide a theoretical framework for evaluating social welfare and to help in designing public policies, he advanced a new mathematical tool: the theory of simultaneous maxima. Using this analytical approach, he criticized the laissez-faire interpretation of Vilfredo Pareto’s theory and advanced the idea of a social welfare function, albeit one quite different from that introduced in 1938 by Abram Bergson, reflecting

The Early Mathematics of Welfare: The Contribution of Bruno de Finetti

Mario Pomini
2020

Abstract

Bruno de Finetti (1906–1985) is well known as the founder of the subjective theory of probability (Feduzi, Runde, and Zappia 2013). Less known, with a few exceptions (Rossignoli 1999; Lunghini 2007; Scazzieri 2009), is his contribution to economic theory during the early stage of his scientific career. In the second half of the 1930s, the young de Finetti was passionately involved in the field of economics, particularly in welfare economics. To provide a theoretical framework for evaluating social welfare and to help in designing public policies, he advanced a new mathematical tool: the theory of simultaneous maxima. Using this analytical approach, he criticized the laissez-faire interpretation of Vilfredo Pareto’s theory and advanced the idea of a social welfare function, albeit one quite different from that introduced in 1938 by Abram Bergson, reflecting
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
File De Finetti.pdf

accesso aperto

Descrizione: Articolo principale
Tipologia: Published (publisher's version)
Licenza: Accesso gratuito
Dimensione 712.8 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
712.8 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri
Pubblicazioni consigliate

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11577/3351277
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 1
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? ND
social impact