Continuous representation of a preference relation on a connected topological space (Q1101324)

In order to take account of the ``vagueness'' of individual preferences, it has been suggested by numerous authors that individual's preference relation on a set X could be represented with the help of two real valued functions v and u, where v(x) and u(x) can be interpreted as the lower and upper bounds of the utility perceived of the object x. In this paper we follow the way opened by \textit{D. S. Bridges} [J. Econ. Theory 30, 213-217 (1983; Zbl 0518.90003); J. Math. Econ. 11, 25-42 (1983; Zbl 0499.90007)] who seems to be the first concerned by continuity, a question of valuable importance in many applications. Bridges gave sufficient conditions for the existence of two continuous real functions u and v on a closed convex subset X of \(R^ m\) endowed with a preference relation \(\succ\) (i.e., an asymmetric binary relation) such that y is preferred to x if and only if \(v(y)>v(x).\) Here we give simple conditions that are both necessary and sufficient for the existence of such a continuous representation, in a more general case than Bridges, since we consider a topological space X only assumed to be connected. These conditions are very similar to the usual ones of utility theory [see e.g. \textit{G. Debreu}, Int. Econ. Rev. 5, 285-293 (1964; Zbl 0138.163)]; moreover they enable us to show rather easily the existence of a continuous representation where u and v are utility functions for two complete preorders (i.e. weak orders) on X intimately connected with the preference relation \(\succ\).