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From probabilities to decisions

Hosted by the Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method

In-person and online public event (Auditorium, Centre Building)

Speaker

Professor Anna Mahtani

Professor Anna Mahtani

Chair

Professor Alex Voorhoeve

Professor Alex Voorhoeve

Join us for Anna Mahtani's inaugural lecture.

The idea of probabilities – and in particular ‘degrees of belief’ or ‘credences’ – is prevalent. It is used by scientists, economists and political theorists, and it plays a central role in policy choice: in deciding whether to carry out a particular health-care policy for example, the process for reaching a decision will almost certainly involve a calculation of credences. In this lecture Anna Mahtani will use an insight from the philosophy of language to argue that the objects of credence are ‘opaque’: in other words, it matters how the relevant object is described or designated. There are wide-ranging implications for welfare distribution and policy choice, and in this lecture she will explore some of these implications.

Meet our speaker and chair

Anna Mahtani works in the philosophy of language and decision-theory, and in particular the intersection between these areas. She has recently completed a book on the subject (The Objects of Credence) and is now beginning a new project on dementia and decision-theory. She is Professor at LSE in the the Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method where she is Deputy Head of the Department.

Alex Voorhoeve is Professor in the Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). He studied economics and philosophy at Erasmus University Rotterdam, Cambridge University, and UCL. He joined the LSE in 2004 and has worked here ever since, though he has held visiting positions at Harvard (2008-09), Princeton (2012-13) and the National Institutes of Health, U.S. (2016-17). His research covers decision theory, moral psychology, and the theory and practice of fair distribution, with particular application to the allocation of resources for health. He has served on the WHO Consultative Committee on Equity and Universal Health Coverage.

More about this event

This event will be available to watch on LSE Live. LSE Live is the new home for our live streams, allowing you to tune in and join the global debate at LSE, wherever you are in the world. If you can't attend live, a video will be made available shortly afterwards on LSE's YouTube channel.

The Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method (@LSEPhilosophy) was founded in 1946 by Sir Karl Popper and is renowned for doing philosophy in a manner that is both continuous with the sciences and socially relevant. It is widely recognized as a world-leading place for teaching and research in philosophy of the natural and social sciences, logic, moral and political philosophy, epistemology, decision and game theory, and social choice.Twitter Hashtag for this event: #LSEPhilosophy

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