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7189: [MUD-Dev] Economics: Arrow's Impossibility Theorem
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From: J C Lawrence <claw@under.engr.sgi.com>
Newsgroups: nu.kanga.list.mud-dev
Date: Wed, 09 Sep 1998 18:27:14 -0700
Organization: Kanga.Nu
Kenneth Arrow, the economist
(http://www.gettysburg.edu/~s352079/arrow.html), is also the author of
"Arrow's Impossibility Theorem" which states (and mathematically
proves) that it is impossible to have a perfectly fair method of
voting when there are three or more choices available, or, simply put,
"There is no fair voting system."
For a copy of the proof (Warning: turgid):
http://socrates.berkeley.edu/~sgoldman/201a/arrow.pdf
Some good discussion of the basic concepts with easily understood
examples and demonstrations can be found at:
http://www.gate.net/~svaughen/apportion/p1.html
http://www.gate.net/~svaughen/apportion/p2.html
We're all familiar with the Black Rose logs (see the archives if
you're not (Note: Yes, I just found out that the archives were not
updating nightly (cron died) they will all update tonight, MUD-Dev is
current now)) and its attempt at governance thru concensus. Arrow's
theorem makes the Black Rose incident especially interesting as it now
becomes a progressively normed voting system where the number of
choices never descend below three.
Curious really.
--
J C Lawrence Internet: claw@null.net
(Contractor) Internet: coder@ibm.net
---------(*) Internet: claw@under.engr.sgi.com
...Honourary Member of Clan McFud -- Teamer's Avenging Monolith...