Introduction
Here is a more in-depth look at what economics is and how it should be defined than that presented in this text:
www.econlib.org/library/Topics/College/whatiseconomics.html
Robert Stonebraker of Winthrop University has an set of readings for a rather unconventional economics course online. Here is his entertaining introduction to scarcity and choice:
faculty.winthrop.edu/stonebrakerr/book/intro.htm
The sci-fi guys and gals talk about the post-scarcity society, which is one sort of utopia:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_scarcity
A short explanation of Karl Popper's view of falsification:
theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2012/sep/17/popper-enemy-uncertainty-virtue-refutation
Jodi Beggs explains the difference between positive and normative economics: economics.about.com/od/economics-basics/a/Positive-Versus-Normative-Analysis-In-Economics.htm.
The economics blog marginalrevolution.com links to several articles that illustrate fascinating examples of unintended consequences of government policy:
www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2008/01/the-law-of-unin.html
Is trying to end slavery by buying up the slaves and freeing them a good way to fight slavery? Or does it have an unintended consequence? Find out here:
www.econlib.org/library/Columns/y2007/Whitmanincentives.html
Facts do not speak for themselves. They are interpreted, and sometimes we cling to an interpretation even when the facts say otherwise. This behavior is easier to see in others than in ourselves:
www.skepdic.com/cognitivedissonance.html
These links were checked on Dec 1, 2013.
Copyright
Robert Schenk
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