Inconsistency of the judgment matrix in the AHP method and the decision maker’s knowledge

In this paper, we propose a method for a quantitative estimation of the decision maker’s knowledge in the context of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) in cases where the judgment matrix is inconsistent. We show that the matrix of deviation from the transitivity condition corresponds to the rate matrix for transaction costs in the financial market. For the quantitative estimation of the decision maker’s professionalism, we apply the Ising model and thermodynamics tools.