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Cardinal
A difference is that with ordinal utility approaches, you cannot numerically measure the level of consumer satisfaction. With cardinal utility approaches, you can to an extent.
cardinal utility
When discussing cardinal vs. ordinal, it is helpful to look at what the words mean. The distinguishing factor here is between cardinal and ordinal numbers. Cardinal numbers are 1, 2, 3; ordinal numbers, 1st, 2nd, 3rd. Some crucial differences follow from that. Whereas mathematical operations can be performed on cardinal numbers, they cannot be performed on ordinal numbers. Now, when talking about cardinal utility, it is an attempt to ''measure the utility of various alternatives. When talking about ordinal utility, it is the ''ranking of alternatives.'''' Cardinal utility is, however, an erroneous concept. It is impossible to "measure" utility. People can only say "I prefer A to B", but cannot meaningfully say "I prefer A 2.5 times more than B" or something to that effect. Furthermore, comparisons of utility between different individuals are impossible and meaningless, as well as between the same individual at different points in time (as individuals can and do change their preferences -- that is, ordinal value-scale rankings). Because value is subjective, we cannot measure it and cannot compare between two different people, or even between the same person at different times. To clarify, ordinal utility culminates in value-scales: 1st: A2nd: B3rd: C whereas cardinal utility is the erroneous attempt at measurement: 10utils -- A7utils -- B3utils -- COmar Tawfik.
to what extent is ordinal utility approach and improvement cardinal in explaining consumer behaviour in economics
Cardinal
Cardinal
A difference is that with ordinal utility approaches, you cannot numerically measure the level of consumer satisfaction. With cardinal utility approaches, you can to an extent.
cardinal utility
When discussing cardinal vs. ordinal, it is helpful to look at what the words mean. The distinguishing factor here is between cardinal and ordinal numbers. Cardinal numbers are 1, 2, 3; ordinal numbers, 1st, 2nd, 3rd. Some crucial differences follow from that. Whereas mathematical operations can be performed on cardinal numbers, they cannot be performed on ordinal numbers. Now, when talking about cardinal utility, it is an attempt to ''measure the utility of various alternatives. When talking about ordinal utility, it is the ''ranking of alternatives.'''' Cardinal utility is, however, an erroneous concept. It is impossible to "measure" utility. People can only say "I prefer A to B", but cannot meaningfully say "I prefer A 2.5 times more than B" or something to that effect. Furthermore, comparisons of utility between different individuals are impossible and meaningless, as well as between the same individual at different points in time (as individuals can and do change their preferences -- that is, ordinal value-scale rankings). Because value is subjective, we cannot measure it and cannot compare between two different people, or even between the same person at different times. To clarify, ordinal utility culminates in value-scales: 1st: A2nd: B3rd: C whereas cardinal utility is the erroneous attempt at measurement: 10utils -- A7utils -- B3utils -- COmar Tawfik.
to what extent is ordinal utility approach and improvement cardinal in explaining consumer behaviour in economics
. Cardinal Approach refers that you can calculate or Measure the utility (degree of satisfaction) Numerically, while According to ordinal approach you can not measure the utility numerically. 2. Cardinal Approach follow the Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility while Ordinal Approach follow the Indifference Curve. 3.Cardinal Approach Emphasis on units while ordinal approach is based on rank.
1. Cardinal Approach refers that you can calculate or Measure the utility (degree of satisfaction) Numerically, while According to ordinal approach you can not measure the utility numerically. 2. Cardinal Approach follow the Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility while Ordinal Approach follow the Indifference Curve. 3.Cardinal Approach Emphasis on units while ordinal approach is based on rank. BY SUMIT SONI(IITTM)
The cardinal approach in a careful approach that states that utility is measurable. The ordinal approach disagrees with this theory.
Cardinal utility is seen in instances where satisfaction can be measured in numbers like 1, 2, 3 and for example, someone may prefer 2 hamburgers to 1. In ordinal utility, it is impossible to quantify the utility according to numbers, but here, preference and rank come to play. Someone would rate a bicycle lower than a motorcycle.
In consumer behavior, the satisfaction that consumers get by consuming commodities is utility. A cardinalist thinks that utility can be measured, quantified, and expressed in quantitative terms. An ordinalist thinks that you cannot measure utility in quantitative terms.
Cardinal: people can enumerate their utility differences from different baskets of goods or services. I.e.) they can put a number to how much they like something. Ordinal: people can provide rankings of different baskets of goods or services. I.e.) they can say which combinations of goods they like better than others, but not by how much. Additionally, we basically assume transitivity, continuity, rationality, and convexity of preferences.