Concept · Foundations

Preference Ordering

A ranking of alternatives that a decision maker holds, ideally satisfying completeness (every pair is comparable) and transitivity (if A is preferred to B and B to C, then A is preferred to C).

All concepts Search

Why it matters

A coherent preference ordering is the foundation of rational choice; inconsistent preferences make any decision tool unreliable and expose the agent to money pumps.

Where this shows up

Units and lessons using this concept

Following the links will take you to the page where this term is introduced in context.

Units (1)

Decision Theory: Choosing Under UncertaintyStudents learn the logic of rational decision making under risk and uncertainty, including expected value, utility, decision matrices, do…

Lessons (2)

Expected Value and Expected UtilityDecision Theory: Choosing Under Uncertainty What Makes a Decision Rational?Decision Theory: Choosing Under Uncertainty

Other concepts in Foundations

A, E, I, O Propositions Accessibility Relation Argument Atomic Statement Base Rate Bayes Factor Calibration Cardinality Cartesian Product Categorical Proposition Categorical Syllogism Circularity