A Foundation for Universalisation in Games
Salonia Enrico Mattia
CEIS Research Paper
I study the behaviour of individuals who have preferences for universalisation. When considering a course of action, they evaluate the consequence that would occur if everyone else acted equivalently, according to some criterion of equivalence. That is, they universalise their behaviour. I develop and axiomatise a model for individuals who value their choices in light of the consequences they induce when their action is universalised. The key behavioural prediction is that the independence axiom is satisfied only among actions that are universalised equivalently. I impose conditions to single out the most prominent models of universalisation, compare them, highlight and arguably overcome their limitations. I propose a unifying model of universalisation inspired by the equal sacrifice principle.
 
 
Number: 603
Keywords: Universalisation reasoning, Non-consequentialism, Kantian preferences, Equal sacrifice principle, Axiomatic model
JEL codes: C70, C72, D01, D03, D90
Volume: 23
Issue: 5
Date: Friday, June 6, 2025
Revision Date: Friday, June 6, 2025