Chapter 1 - The Nature and Method of Economics
Economics The social science concerned with the efficient use of scarce resources to achieve maximum satisfaction of economic wants (ie high standard of living)
Economic Perspective Economic way of thinking
Scarcity of Choice
No free lunch – ultimately there is a cost to society in terms of resources, labor etc
Opportunity costs are the goods and services that were sacrificed to produce an item/.do something
Rational Behavior
Individuals act in rational self-interest
Look to increase utility – pleasure, happiness, well being
May change when costs/benefits change
Marginalism – benefits and costs
Marginal analysis – comparing marginal benefits relative to marginal costs ie the marginal cost of buying a Honda over a Hyundai means that you won’t be driving a piece of shit (increased utitility)
Keep in mind the marginal cost includes the marginal cost of NOT buying something else. Ie you could buy a Hyundai but take the money you saved and pimp it out and then you could possibly have a higher utility
If marginal costs outweigh marginal benefits then you are getting too much of a good thing
Theoretical Economics – process of deriving theories and principles
Use interrelated facts to develop a cause-effect hypothesis
From these theories you can derive principles that govern policy
Other things equal assumption
Assume that all other variables are controlled when making a generalization
Abstractions
Simplifications that omit irrelevant facts, mean that
Policy Economics
Creation of policies based on economic theories/laws. The goal is stated , the policy options are decided and then it is implemented and evaluated
Economic Goals
1. Economic Growth – Produce more/better goods and have a higher standing of living
2. Full employment
3. Economic efficiency – max fulfillment of wants using the available resources
4. Price-level stability – avoid inflation/deflation
5. Economic Freedom – Guarantee that businesses, workers and consumers have a high degree of freedom in their economic activities
6. Equitable distribution of Income – Insure that no people are extremely poor while other people are
7. Economic Security – provide for sick/elderly/poor
8. Balance of trade – seek a reasonable balance of trade among countries
Macroeconomics
The Economy as a whole or subdivisions thereof
Microeconomics
Specific economic unites ie a specific company or product
Positive and kmnl Economics
Positive Economics – focuses on the cause-effect relationships, avoids value judgements
Normative Economics – incorporates value judgements ie. Republican vs Democrat fiscal policy, what should be the end result
Pitfalls to Sound Reasoning
Biases, Loaded Terminology, Definitions (Econ definition of a word may be different from the common usage of a word), Fallacy of Composition (Assumption that what is true for one individual is true for the whole)
Causation Fallacies
Post Hoc fallacy – correlation does not indicate causation
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