Some new issues in the general theory of choice (a survey of one line of research) (Q1060938)

This is a review of studies in general choice theory carried out by the author's team in the Institute of Control Sciences (Moscow, USSR). It gives a new look on classical rationality and demonstrates simple examples of choice which violate classical rationality ideas. Two alternatives to classical rationality ideas are considered. The first deals with comparison between sets of variants instead of comparison of pairs. The second one deals with a function of choice. A related algebra is developed which includes the idea of closedness of some regions in functional space relative to some types of logical operations, decomposition for choice functions, and approximation of these functions. In the last paragraph Arrow's problems of social choice are studied in terms of choice functions instead of pair comparisons. The list of references includes twenty-seven papers of Soviet scientists in the field. The same article was published in Soc. Choice Welfare 2, 235--282 (1985; Zbl 0583.90004).