The argument is sometimes made that income is a homogeneous magnitude, whereas capabilities are diverse This sharp contrast is not entirely in the sense that any income evaluation hides inter correct, nal diversities with some special-and often heroic-assumptions." Also discussed in chapter 3), interpersonal comparisons of (as was real income give us no basis for interpersonal comparisons even of utility (though that hiatus is often ignored in applied welfare eco- omics through the imposition of wholly arbitrary assumptions). To differ- get from the comparison of the means in the form of income ences to something that can be claimed to be valuable in itself (such as well-being or freedom, we have to take note of circumstantial variations that affect the conversion rates. The presumption that the more "practical" way of getting approach of income comparison is a at interpersonal differences in advantages is hard to sustain.