Reply to Ted and Brad

[Ken Hanly]

Do economists talk about the hierarchy of needs? Unless u can somehow
measure utility how can u make the claim that satisfaction of needs "higher"
in the hierarchy increase utility? But I understood that the standard view
is that utility is not measurable.

    Surely Bentham was closer to the truth...a dollar spent to feed a
starving person produces greater utility than if spent by some overstuffed
Epicure....apologies to Epicurus of course...

Cheers Ken Hanly

Brad claims:


> --As you ascend the hierarchy of needs, utility increases. Someone
> who "needs"... dropping down into the Chez Panisse website for a
> second... grilled Hoffman Farm chicken breast with pancetta, garlicky
> chard, and sweet corn polenta has a higher utility than someone who
> "needs" meat, who in turn has a higher utility than someone who needs
> a lower price of tortillas so their children don't cry. Human
> progress is the development of higher and more complicated new forms
> of "need" as the old forms get satisfied..
>
>