Sounds like you're espousing the doctrine of Revealed Preference! Here's my reductio proof that actions don't always reveal preferences: http://blog.beeminder.c

Sounds like you're espousing the doctrine of Revealed Preference! Here's my reductio proof that actions don't always reveal preferences: http://blog.beeminder.com/revealed/ http://blog.beeminder.com/revealed/ Short version: People sometimes use commitment devices (like Beeminder!). Doing so is an action and the preference it reveals is that the person engages in actions contrary to their own preferences!