Comparing value aggregation rules

Compare three ways to combine six illustrative dimensions of value.

Wellbeing, freedom, inclusion and fair institutions can all matter. But saying that they matter does not tell us how to combine them. An average permits compensation; a minimum gives priority to the weakest dimension; a product makes joint shortfalls especially costly.

The sliders below are an authored toy. Their dimensions, scales and aggregation rules are not measured properties of civilization. The product is a chosen value rule, not a claim of statistical independence. “Is Flourishing Predetermined?” studies hidden difficulty and movability; it does not establish this six-factor formula.

Some values may be incomparable or have thresholds rather than smooth numeric scales. A low toy result does not diagnose a real society as a mistopia.

Which tradeoffs should your aggregation rule permit, and which should it forbid?

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