Chap像经济学家一样思考

1、Thinking Like an Economist像经济学家一样思考Chapter 2The Economist as a Scientist作为科学家的经济学家The economic way of thinking . . . 经济学思考方法Involves thinking analytically and objectively. 客观地分析与思考。Makes use of the scientific method. 利用科学的方法。The Scientific MethodUses abstract models to help explain how a complex, re

2、al world operates.Develops theories, collects, and analyzes data to prove the theories.Observation, Theory and More Observation!科学方法利用抽象的模型帮助解释复杂的真实世界如何运行。形成理论，收集并分析数据来验证理论。观察, 理论 ，更多的观察Economic Models Economists use models to simplify reality in order to improve our understanding of the world Two o

3、f the most basic economic models include:The Circular Flow ModelThe Production Possibilities Frontier经济模型 经济学家利用模型来简化真实世界，使我们更好地理解这个世界。 两个最基本的经济学模型是：循环流向图生产可能性边界The Circular-Flow Model经济循环流向图The circular-flow model is a simple way to visually show the economic transactions that occur between househo

4、lds and firms in the economy.循环流向图一个直观地说明一个经济体内家庭和企业之间的经济交易行为的简单方式。The Circular-Flow DiagramFirmsHouseholdsMarket for Factors of ProductionMarket for Goods and ServicesSpendingRevenueWages, rent, and profitIncomeGoods & Services soldGoods & Services boughtLabor, land, and capitalInputs for productio

5、n经济循环图企业家庭生产要素市场物品与劳务市场支出收入工资、租金和利润收入销售商品和服务购买商品和服务劳动、土地和资本生产投入The Circular-Flow Diagram经济循环图Factors of Production 生产要素 Inputs used to produce goods and services 用于生产物品与劳务的投入 Land, labor, and capital 土地、劳动和资本The Production Possibilities FrontierThe production possibilities frontier is a graph showin

6、g the various combinations of output that the economy can possibly produce given the available factors of production and technology.生产可能性边界生产可能性边界 表示一个经济在可得到的生产要素与生产技术既定时所能生产的产量的各种组合的图形。 The Production Possibilities Frontier生产可能性边界Quantity ofComputersProducedQuantity ofCars Produced3,0001,0002,0002,

7、200A70060030001,000BCDProductionpossibilitiesfrontier电脑产量汽车产量生产可能性边界Concepts Illustrated by the Production Possibilities FrontierEfficiencyTradeoffsOpportunity CostEconomic Growth生产可能性边界阐明的概念效率权衡取舍机会成本经济增长Microeconomics and MacroeconomicsMicroeconomics focuses on the individual parts of the economy.

8、How households and firms make decisions and how they interact in specific marketsMacroeconomics looks at the economy as a whole.How the markets, as a whole, interact at the national level.微观经济学与宏观经济学微观经济学 的研究对象是经济中的个体家庭和企业如何作出决策，以及他们如何在特定市场上相互交易。宏观经济学 研究经济总体现象。从总体上看，各种市场在国家水平上如何相互影响。Two Roles of Eco

9、nomists经济学家的两个角色When they are trying to explain the world, they are scientists. 当他们努力去解释世界时，他们是科学家。When they are trying to change the world, they are policy advisors. 当他们想要改变世界时，他们是政策顾问。Positive versus Normative AnalysisPositive statements are statements that describe the world as it is.Called descr

10、iptive analysisNormative statements are statements about how the world should be.Called prescriptive analysis实证分析与规范分析实证表述 是企图描述世界是什么的观点。被称为描述性分析。规范表述 是企图描述世界应该如何运行的观点。被称为命令性分析。?Positive or Normative Statements?实证性还是规范性表述？An increase in the minimum wage will cause a decrease in employment among the

11、least-skilled.提高最低工资水平会导致最低技能工人的就业减少。Positive 实证性?Positive or Normative Statements?实证性还是规范性表述？The income gains from a higher minimum wage are worth more than any slight reductions in employment.提高最低工资水平得到的利益比由此带来的稍微的就业减少造成的损失大Positive 规范性Economists in Washington . . . . . serve as advisers in the po

12、licymaking process of the three branches of government:LegislativeExecutiveJudicial华盛顿的经济学家 . . . . .在以下三个政府部门的政策制定过程中充当顾问：立法行政司法Economists in WashingtonSome government agencies that collect economic data and make economic policy:Department of CommerceBureau of Labor StatisticsCongressional Budget OfficeFederal Reserve Board华盛顿的经济学家一些收集经济数据并制定经济政策的政府部门:商务部劳工统计局国会预算办公室联邦储备委员会小结经济学家像科学家一样客观地来研究他们的学科。为了理解周围的世界，经济学家进行适当的假设并建立简单的模型。两个简单的经济模型是经济循环图和生产可能性边界。小结经济学分为两个领域：微观经济学和宏观经济学。微观经济学家研究市场中的家庭和企业所