William Stanley Jevons Quotes about Pain

All William Stanley Jevons Quotes Economics Giving Knowledge Labour Logic Pain quotes Science

PLEASURE and pain are undoubtedly the ultimate objects of the calculus of economics. To satisfy our wants to the utmost with the least effort - to procure the greatest amount of what is desirable at the expense of the

PLEASURE and pain are undoubtedly the ultimate objects of the calculus of economics. To satisfy our wants to the utmost with the least effort - to procure the greatest amount of what is desirable at the expense of the least that is undesirable - in other words, to maximize pleasure, is the problem of economics.

William Stanley Jevons

Pain, Effort, Want

William Stanley Jevons (1871). “The Theory of Political Economy”, p.44

The theory which follows is entirely based on a calculus of pleasure and pain; and the object of economics is to maximize happiness by purchasing pleasure, as it were, at the lowest cost of pain.

William Stanley Jevons

Pain, Cost, Economics

William Stanley Jevons (1970). “The Theory of Political Economy”, Penguin (Non-Classics)