Merging Epistemic States and Manipulation

Abstract:

In this work we study the problem of manipulation in the framework of merging complex epistemic states. We adopt the techniques concerning representation and impossibility in belief merging of complex epistemic states proposed by Mata Díaz and Pino Pérez in 2017. We introduce here the notion of belief lifting, aiming to capture the preferences of an agent over formulas. This allows us to define a general notion of manipulability. We prove that, provided some rational properties, a merging operator is either manipulable, with respect to any well-behaved belief lifting, or it admits an Arrovian dictator. We also study the behaviour of some concrete belief merging operators, showing that some of them are manipulable. Moreover, we prove that strategy-proofness cannot be characterized in terms of Arrovian dictators.

Año de publicación:

2021

Keywords:

• manipulation
• Epistemic states
• Impossibility
• Belief merging
• Arrovian dictator
• Strategy-proofness

Fuente:

scopus