Edgeworth on the Foundations of Ethics and Probability

This paper analyses the foundation of utilitarian ethics and theory of probability in the works of Francis Y. Edgeworth. We argue that he pursued an unitary philosophical project, the search for a common epistemological foundation for the social sciences. The common root of the disciplines is the notion of “hereditary experience” derived from Herbert Spencer’s work. We suggest that this reconstruction can modify the overall interpretation of Edgeworth’s thought.