The relationship among varying social objectives is of paramount importance with regard to evaluation and cost allocation processes in water resource use, development, and management projects. This study examines the philosophical and ethical base underlying proposed procedures for dealing with the multiple objective problem. The specific objectives of the study were to account for the evolution of the multiple objective function, to identify the relationships among objectives in water resource development, and to identify the effect of relationships among objectives on the ultimate value of the tradeoff ratio as well as the calculation process. Several legislative documents relating to public intervention in water resource development were reviewed in an attempt at accounting for the evolution of the multiple objective function, and at identifying the relationships among objectives. (Author Modified Abstract)