Mini-Courses on Social Choice Theory and Formal Approaches to Philosophy

A satellite workshop titled Mini-Courses on Social Choice Theory and Formal Approaches to Philosophy will be held at Waseda University on June 12, 2026, the day before the start of SSCW 2026. 

In recent years, the intersection between social choice theory and philosophy has expanded significantly. Areas such as population ethics, value theory, and judgment aggregation are prominent examples of this development.

This workshop will feature a set of mini-courses exploring the possibilities and current frontiers of these fields. Several instructors and lecturers will present both established results and aspects of their ongoing research, offering participants an overview of recent developments and future directions.

The mini-courses are scheduled to take place on the afternoon of June 12.

This workshop is open to all participants of SSCW 2026. All conference participants are welcome to attend at no additional cost.

This satellite workshop is co-organized with the Graduate School of Economics, Waseda University.

Venue

Registration

Participation is free of charge, but registration is required.

Participation is open to both SSCW 2026 participants and non-SSCW participants.

Program

13:30–14:00
Registration / Check-in

14:00–14:05
Opening Remarks

14:05–14:55
Stéphane Zuber, “Population Ethics and Social Welfare”

14:55–15:05
Short break

15:05–15:55
Maya Eden, “Developing Guidelines for Population Policy”

15:55–16:20
Break

16:20–17:10
Susumu Cato, “Arrow’s Impossibility Theorem: From Finite to Infinite Populations”

17:10–17:20
Short break

17:20–18:10
Christian List, “Judgment Aggregation”

18:10–18:15
Closing Remarks

Mini-Course Descriptions

• Stéphane Zuber (Centre d’Économie de la Sorbonne, Université Paris 1 & CNRS, Paris School of Economics)

“Population Ethics and Social Welfare”

This mini-course discusses how considerations from population ethics can be incorporated into the standard social welfare framework in economics. Topics include the value of population in social welfare analysis, the relationship between population ethics and theories of social justice such as prioritarianism, maximin, leximin, rank-dependent and sufficientarian approaches, and the asymmetry between positive and negative welfare.

• Maya Eden (University of Zurich)

“Developing Guidelines for Population Policy”

This mini-course outlines a framework for thinking about population policy based on three pillars: individualistic values, reproductive rights, and collective values. It discusses the policy significance of each pillar and develops a research agenda for constructing a normative framework for population policy.

• Susumu Cato (University of Tokyo)

“Arrow’s Impossibility Theorem: From Finite to Infinite Populations”

This mini-course revisits Arrow’s impossibility theorem from the perspective of finite and infinite populations. Topics may include filters and ultrafilters, the role of incommensurability in impossibility theorems, the philosophical interpretation of infinite populations, and the relationship between theory choice and Arrow’s theorem, including the so-called Okasha problem.

• Christian List (LMU Munich)

“Judgment Aggregation”

This mini-course introduces judgment aggregation theory. Topics include the doctrinal paradox, the discursive dilemma and their relation to Condorcet’s paradox; the logic-based model of judgment aggregation; the basic Arrow-inspired impossibility result; and possible escape routes from the impossibility.

Access

The Waseda campus of Waseda University is easily accessible by the Tokyo Metro Tozai line. The workshop venue, Okuma Small Auditorium, is within walking distance of the following stations:

• Waseda Station (Spot 1, Tokyo Metro Tozai Line)
  – About 6 minutes on foot to the Venue
  – Spot 1 on the map

• Takadanobaba Station (Spot 2, JR Yamanote Line)
  – About 20–25 minutes on foot to the venue
  – Spot 2 on the map

You can transfer from the JR Yamanote Line at Takadanobaba Station to the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line and take one stop to Waseda Station, which usually takes 2—4 minutes on the train (plus walking).