Orders and Their Representations

Abstract

An order concept, ≽(y), is introduced and interpreted as a correspondence. Some common structural properties imposed on ≽(y) are discussed. A distance function, d(x,y;g), is derived from ≽(y) and interpreted as a cardinal representation of the underlying binary relation expressed in the units of the numeraire g∈ℝ^{N}. Properties of distance functions and their superdifferential and subdifferential correspondences are treated. The chapter closes by studying the structural consequences for d(x,y;g) of different convexity axioms imposed on ≽(y).