Utility representation of lower separable preferences

Abstract

Topological separability is crucial for the utility representation of a complete preference relation. When preferences are incomplete, this axiom has Suitably defined Counterparts: Upper separability and lower separability [Ok, E.A., 2002. Utility representation of an incomplete preference relation. Journal of Economic Theory 104, 429-449]. We consider the problem of representing an incomplete preference relation by means of a vector-valued utility function; we obtain representation results under the lower separability assumption. Our results extend the main representation theorems by Ok [Ok, E.A., 2002. Utility representation of an incomplete preference relation. journal of Economic Theory 104, 429-449] in terms of the separability axioms.