Preference intensity and cardinality

Beyond its mathematization, preference intensity is a relevant concept, more general than cardinal representable preference, and an according axiomatic definition is introduced, dispensing with the Archimedean assumption. Given a preference intensity, a uniform space (generating the order topology of the induced preference) is associated to it. If the preference intensity is representable, this uniformity is semimetrizable. A “uniqueness” result for preference intensities leads naturally to the hypothesis of compactness. Through the uniformity corresponding to the preference intensity, compactness can be characterized. Copyright Sociedad de Estadística e Investigación Operativa 2014