Economics and Morality

Someone "thinks like an economist" by objectively and analytically assessing the costs and benefits of various activities. In this course, we will examine why so many people consider the economic way of thinking to be immoral. Topics discussed will include gift-giving, voting, trade, price gouging, organ sales, and price controls, among others. Attention will be given to the commonalities and unique features that span these issues, and what, if anything, should be done to bridge the gap between how economists and non-economists view them. Addressing these specific issues will help illuminate the proper scope of the economic way of thinking and point to ways in which economic arguments can best be used to improve the world.