Difference logics for preference (Q1105470)

The objective of this paper is to study ``preferences in terms of comparisons between preferences''. Given an ordinary preference between elements of a set S or pairs of elements of S, three preferences among subsets of S are defined: a maximin preference, saying \(A\geq B\), iff \{ minimum A\} \(\geq\) \{minimum B\}, a maximax preference \((A\geq B\) iff \{maximum A\} \(\geq\) \{maximum B\}) and a mixed maximin preference \((A\geq B\) iff \{maximum A, minimum A\} \(\geq\) \{maximum B, minimum B\}), and these binary relations have some standard properties. Further, difference relations over cross products of sets are introduced: \(A\times B\geq C\times D\), meaning that A is more preferred over B than C over D. Finally, a difference preference relation is defined in terms of a difference relation, that can be of each of the three types defined above: A prf B iff \(A\times B\geq B\times A\), meaning ``A rather than B is at least preferred as B rather than A'', a rather puzzling interpretation. Some properties of the latter concept are studied.