Preference, indifference, and Markov's principle

Abstract

This paper contains a constructive (algorithmic) investigation of the classically trivial question: if > is a preference relation, with corresponding preference-indifference relation ≥, and if (y ≥ x) is impossible, what conditions ensure that x > y? The solution involves the replacement of an unbounded search by a bounded one, and therefore represents a significant reduction of complexity in those cases to which it applies. © 1990.