The virtues of clarity : Robert Dorfman, from mathematical programming to environmental economics

This article explores the career of American economist Robert Dorfman (1916-2002), that can be divided into three distinct phases. During the first phase (1938-1958), he made contributions to mathematical programming and statistics. The clarity of his work was particularly emphasized by his colleagues, who believed it greatly helped disseminate mathematical programming among economists in the 1950s. In the second phase (1959-1972), he contributed to water management. His work during this phase was more applied and characterized by its interdisciplinary nature. Notably, he collaborated with oceanographers, political scientists, and sanitation engineers. Again, his explanations of the economic approach to water management and the relevance of mathematical programming in this context were praised for their clarity. During the third phase (1972-1997), he moved away from the specific case of water to focus more broadly on environmental economics, especially on critiques of cost-benefit analysis. By retracing his career, this article sheds light on the links among his various contributions and the role that clarity plays in how an economist's work is received.