This article seeks to provide a characterization of theory prevalent in economics and found in many areas of social and natural science, particularly those that make increasing use of rational choice perspectives. Four kinds of theoretical project are identified in which empirical evidence plays...

The paper contributes to the use of social choice and welfare theory in health economics by developing and applying the integration of claims framework to health-care rationing. Related to Sens critique of neo-classical welfare economics, the integration of claims framework recognises three...

The main conceptual framework of classical social choice places preference conflicts between agents centre-stage. This paper develops the case for a second conception of social choice where entitlements are established through the integration of different, primitive classes of claim and supports...

This paper argues against the proposition that rationality necessarily requires preferences to be transitive. Attention is given predominantly to the logic of the arguments purporting to show that rational agents must adhere to transitivity. The paper builds on previous work in the area of...