Pareto Optimality, Functional Dependence and Collective Agency

Abstract: This paper approaches the problem of understanding collective agency from a logical and game-theoretical perspective. Instead of collective intentionality, our analysis highlights the role of Pareto optimality. To facilitate the analysis, we propose a logic of preference and functional dependence by extending the logic of functional dependence. In this logic, we can express Pareto optimality and thus reason about collective agency.