A note on ‘trying to value a life’

Broome's alleged paradox that application of the usual compensation test to the valuation of life would produce an infinite monetary value is shown to be false because it is based on illegitimate generalisation from a special case in which no effective compensation is possible. In the general case, relevant to public sector project appraisal, such compensation is possible, and finite values are to be expected, judging by people's ordinary behaviour.