像经济学家一样的思考

1、 2007 Thomson South-WesternThinking Like an EconomistEvery field of study has its own terminologyMathematics 每一研究领域都有自己的术语体系Integrals(积分) axioms(公理) vector spaces 矢量空间PsychologyEgo(自我) id(本我) cognitive dissonance(认知的不一致性)Lawpromissory estoppel 禁止翻供 torts民事侵权 venues(案发地点)Economicssupply opportunity c

2、ost elasticity consumer surplus demand comparative advantage deadweight loss(无谓损失)Thinking Like an Economist像经济学家那样思考Economics trains you to. . . . Think in terms of alternatives.以可变换的术语思考Evaluate the cost of individual and social choices.评估个人与社会选择的成本Examine and understand how certain events and iss

3、ues are related.考察和理解特定事件与问题是相互联系的THE ECONOMIST AS A SCIENTISTThe economic way of thinking . . .经济学家思考的方式Involves thinking analytically and objectively.涉及分析性与客观性思考Makes use of the scientific method. 采用科学的方法Uses abstract models to help explain how a complex, real world operates.使用抽象的模型以帮助阐释一个复杂的真实的世界

4、是如何运行的.Develops theories, collects and analyzes data to evaluate the theories.开发出各种理论, 收集并分析评估理论的数据.The Scientific Method: Observation, Theory, and More Observation科学方法: 观察、理论以及更多的观察Uses abstract models to help explain how a complex, real world operates.使用抽象的模型以帮助阐释一个复杂的真实的世界是如何运行的.Develops theories

5、, collects and analyzes data to evaluate the theories.开发出各种理论, 收集并分析评估理论的数据.Economists use different assumptions to answer different questions.经济学家使用不同的假设来回答不同的问题The Role of AssumptionsHold other things constantEconomists make assumptions in order to make the world easier to understand.经济学家采用假设是为了使世

6、界比较容易被理解The art in scientific thinking is deciding which assumptions to makeEconomic ModelsEconomists use models to simplify reality in order to improve our understanding of the world.经济学家使用模型来简化现实是为了改善我们对世界的理解。Our First Model: AD-AS modelFirms-suppliers/producers/-supply side Produce and sell goods

7、 and services生产和出售商品与服务 Hire and use factors of production雇佣和使用生产要素Households/demanders/individualdemand side Buy and consume goods and services购买和消费商品与服务 Own and sell factors of production拥有和出售生产要素Our First Model: labor demand and labor supplyMarkets for Goods and Services 商品与服务市场 Firms sell 企业出售 H

8、ouseholds buy 家庭购买Markets for Factors of Production 生产要素市场 Households sell 家庭出售 Firms buy 企业购买Our First Model: The Circular-Flow DiagramFactors of Production 生产要素 Inputs used to produce goods and services用来生产商品与服务的投入 Land, labor, and capital土地、劳动力和资本Our Second Model: The Production Possibilities Fro

9、ntierThe production possibilities frontier is a graph that shows the combinations of output that the economy can possibly produce given the available factors of production and the available production technology.生产可能性边界是展示在可获得的生产要素和生产技术给定的情况下，经济有可能产出的产量之图形。Figure 2 The Production Possibilities Front

10、ierProductionpossibilitiesfrontierBDAQuantity ofCars Produced2,2006001,00030007002,0003,0001,000Quantity ofComputersProducedCOur Second Model: The Production Possibilities FrontierConcepts illustrated by the production possibilities frontier 生产可能性边界所描述的概念Efficiency 效率Trade-offs 权衡取舍Opportunity cost

11、机会成本Economic growth 经济增长Figure 3 A Shift in the Production Possibilities FrontierQuantity ofCars Produced2,2006002,30065004,0003,0001,000Quantity ofComputersProducedAGMicroeconomics and MacroeconomicsMicroeconomics focuses on the individual parts of the economy.微观经济学关注经济中的个案部分How households and firm

12、s make decisions and how they interact in specific markets家庭与企业如何做出决策以及他们如何在特定的市场中相互影响Macroeconomics looks at the economy as a whole. 微观经济学把经济看作一个整体Economy-wide phenomena, including inflation, unemployment, and economic growth 经济范围现象包括通货膨胀、失业与经济增长。THE ECONOMIST AS POLICY ADVISOR 作为政策顾问的经济学家When econ

13、omists are trying to explain the world, they are scientists.当经济学家试图解释世界时，他们是科学家。When economists are trying to change the world, they are policy advisors.当经济学家试图改变世界时，他们是政策顾问。Positive versus Normative AnalysisPositive statements are statements that attempt to describe the world as it is. 实证性描述是试图描述世界

14、到底是什么样的描述Called descriptive analysis 称为描述性分析Normative statements are statements about how the world should be.规范性描述是有关世界应当是什么样的描述Called prescriptive analysis 称为处方性分析Positive Versus Normative AnalysisAre the following positive or normative statements?An increase in the minimum wage will cause a decre

15、ase in employment among the least-skilled.最低工资的增加将引起无技能或低技能者就业的减少POSITIVEHigher federal budget deficits will cause interest rates to increase.更高的联邦预算赤字将导致利率的提高POSITIVE?Positive Versus Normative AnalysisAre the following positive or normative statements? 下列是实证性陈述还是规范性陈述？The income gains from a higher

16、 minimum wage are worth more than any slight reductions in employment.来自更高的最低工资水平所获得的收入获益要比就业的任何轻微减少都更有价值。NORMATIVEState governments should be allowed to collect from tobacco companies the costs of treating smoking-related illnesses among the poor.州政府应当被获许向烟草公司收取治疗穷人与吸烟有关之疾病的费用。NORMATIVE?Economists

17、in Washington. . . serve as advisers in the policymaking process of the three branches of government:华盛顿的经济学家作为治理政体三大分支的决策顾问参与决策过程Legislative 立法Executive 行政Judicial 司法Economists in WashingtonSome government agencies that collect economic data and make economic policy include:有些收集经济数据并制定经济政策的政府机构包括：D

18、epartment of Commerce商务部Bureau of Labor Statistics 劳工统计局Congressional Budget Office 国会预算办公室Federal Reserve Board 联邦储备委员会WHY ECONOMISTS DISAGREEThey may disagree about the validity of alternative positive theories about how the world works.他们有可能在有关世界是如何运行的各种可替换的实证理论的有效性方面产生分歧WHY ECONOMISTS DISAGREETh

19、ey may have different values and, therefore, different normative views about what policy should try to accomplish. 他们也可能具有不同的价值观，因此就具有关于政策应当达到什么目标而具有不同的规范性观点Economists try to address their subjects with a scientists objectivity.经济学家试图以科学家的客观性来表达他们的主题They make appropriate assumptions and build simpli

20、fied models in order to understand the world around them.他们做出适宜的假设，并建立起简化模型，以便理解他们周围的世界。Two simple economic models are the circular-flow diagram and the production possibilities frontier.两个简化的经济模型是循环流动图和经济可能性边界。Economics is divided into two subfields:Microeconomics is the study of decision-making by households and firms in the marketplace.Macroeconomics is the study of the forces and trends that affect the economy as a whole.经济学家被划分为两个分支领域：微观经济学是对家庭与