This course presents basic theories that concern models of social decision-making procedures. As a major topic, important theorems of social choice theory are to be lectured. The scope of this course includes topics of democracy, decision support, welfarism, and consequentialism. Various voting methods are also to be introduced in the course, some of them seems to be especially attractive in the information age. The aim of this course is to provide the students with an opportunity for acquiring theories about social decision making and an opportunity for developing independent research interests in this field.
Each student is expected to understand the proof of Arrow's impossibility theorem and some major theorems with majority rule.
social choice theory, Arrow's Impossibility theorem, majority rule, rationality
✔ Specialist skills | ✔ Intercultural skills | Communication skills | Critical thinking skills | ✔ Practical and/or problem-solving skills |
Many topics related social decision-making are to be learned through lectures and discussions. Students are encouraged to read related books and reference materials before attending classes. It is also advisable to spend much time to prepare for oral discussions.
Course schedule | Required learning | |
---|---|---|
Class 1 | Irrationality in decision making | Understand some Irrational aspects in personal and social decision makings. |
Class 2 | Notation Method of Social Choice 1 | Understand the basic notation method of preference. |
Class 3 | Notation Method of Social Choice 2 | Understand the notion of choice function. |
Class 4 | Notation Method of Social Choice 3 | Understand the notion of rational choice. |
Class 5 | Notation Method of Social Choice 4 | Understand the notation method of collective choice rule. |
Class 6 | Social Welfare Function | Understand the notion of Social Welfare Function. |
Class 7 | Arrow's Impossibility Theorem | Understand the proof of Arrow's Impossibility Theorem. |
Class 8 | Social Decision Function and Possibility Theorems | Understand the notion of Social Decision Function and some of Sen's Possibility Theorems. |
Class 9 | The Notion of Majority Rule 1 | The basic notation method for majority rule is to be introduced. Students are expected to understand the method and relating some major formula. |
Class 10 | The Notion of Majority Rule 2 | Understand the concepts of anonymity, neutrality and positive responsiveness. |
Class 11 | Restricted Domain 1 | Understand the concepts of restricted domain with majority rule. |
Class 12 | Restricted Domain 2 | Understand the concepts of value restriction, external restriction and limited agreement. |
Class 13 | Value Restriction and Limited Agreement | Understand theorems about value restriction and limited agreement. |
Class 14 | Extremal Restriction | Understand theorems about extremal restriction. |
Class 15 | Necessary and Sufficient Conditions for Rational Choice | Understand the necessary and sufficient conditions for rational choice in using majority rule. |
A book will be selected at the beginning of the course.
Amartya Sen, Collective Choice and Social Welfare, North-Holland.
During the term, small examinations are held three times. There also will be two report-writing works. Assessment will be based on: three small examinations (20% each; total 60%), and; two report-writing work (20% each; total 40%). (Full attendance is assumed in this calculation.)
It is recommendable to finish the course Social Modeling A beforehand, although it is not a necessary condition.
Atsushi IWAI,iwai[at]si.gunma-u.ac.jp
Instructor's office: Rm. 813, 8 Fl., West Bldg. 9. Contact by e-mail in advance to schedule an appointment.
This course includes the content of science.