Comment

Abstract

Philosophers tend to classify utilitarianism as a moral theory marked by a belief that ‘the general good’ serves as a unitary and universal criterion by which outcomes can be ranked, at least by an ideally informed and impartial observer. Economists construe utilitarianism more broadly, so that a general criterion of rationality applies to all problems of allocating scarce resources, and moral choice is a case of rational choice. Keynes, as presented in Tony Lawson’s thoughtful paper, is an economist by this test but one who kept philosophy and ethics firmly in mind. He was less worried about the criterion itself than pure philosophers usually are but more aware than some economists that uncertainty sets moral problems as well as calculative ones. In this comment I shall ignore fundamental doubts about there being best solutions in abstract principle, and shall concentrate on three practical snags of uncertainty. Then I shall take up the issues which Lawson bids us pursue at the end.¹