Re:Direct Primary Care
by pdonis on Monday January 16, 2017 @02:44AM
(#13408677)
> Even if everyone had the same utility function with respect to every single possible good and service
The same good or service having different value to the two parties to a transaction doesn't require them to have different utility functions. It just requires the utility functions to depend on variables that differ between the parties. For example, the utility of a given item of food depends on how much of it you already have (the grocery store has a lot more of it than me, so it's worth less to them).
> we've veered way off topic
I'm not so sure. Health care seems like an area where it should be obvious to everybody that non-monetary costs and benefits are a huge factor that must be taken into account.
The same good or service having different value to the two parties to a transaction doesn't require them to have different utility functions. It just requires the utility functions to depend on variables that differ between the parties. For example, the utility of a given item of food depends on how much of it you already have (the grocery store has a lot more of it than me, so it's worth less to them).
> we've veered way off topic
I'm not so sure. Health care seems like an area where it should be obvious to everybody that non-monetary costs and benefits are a huge factor that must be taken into account.