回到边沁抑或超越边沁?——经济学效用概念的“返本”与“开新”

Back to Bentham or Beyond Bentham?——The Regression and Innovation of the Economic Concept of Utility

经济学中的效用概念最初是以幸福为基本内涵而建立起来的,然而由于随后经济学发展的"自然科学化"倾向,效用逐渐被简化和庸俗化为以货币来衡量的欲望满足程度,经济学自身也逐渐偏离了它的本质和初衷——保持和增进人类幸福。为了改变经济学的不幸福现状,一些学者开始着手进行经济学的"幸福革命",效用作为经济学的一个基本概念,自然是重点革命对象。继卡内曼提出"经验效用"概念、呼吁"回到边沁"、恢复效用的幸福内涵之后,弗雷等人又提出"过程效用"的概念,认为还应"超越边沁",关注效用的过程之维。"过程效用"概念的提出及其研究不仅是一次重要的理论创新,而且还具有重大的现实意义和公共政策价值。

The concept of utility in economics was established on the basis of happiness at first. However, as a result of the subsequent ＂natural science＂ tendency in the development of economics, utility is simplified and changes into the satisfaction degree of desire weighed by currency, and at the same time economics itself gradually deviated from its essence and original intention, maintaining and promoting human well-being. In order to change economics＇ unhappy present situation, some scholars have embarked on the ＂happiness revolution＂ of economics, and utility as a basic concept of economics, is undoubtedly a key target in the revolution. After Kanhe- man put forward the concept of ＂experience utility＂, called on ＂Back to Bentham＂ and restoring the well-being meaning of utility, Frey et al put forward a new concept of ＂ procedural utility＂, and hold that Bentham should be transcended and attention should be paid to the procedural dimension of utility. The advancement and research of ＂procedural utility＂ is not only an important theoretical innovation but also of great significance in reality and public policy value