Quantitative Utilitarianism
"While walking in Pittsburgh one afternoon, [Carnegie
Mellon economist George] Lowenstein tells me that he doesn't see how
anybody could study happiness and not find himself leaning left
politically; the data make it all too clear that boosting the living
standards of those already comfortable such as through lower taxes,
does little to improve their levels of well-being, whereas raising the
living standards of the impoverished makes an enormous
difference."
Jon Gertner, "The Futile Pursuit of Happiness,"
New York Times
Magazine, September 7, 2003
Last modified: 15 Dec 2004
Removed some errant letters.