000 01630cam a2200205 4500500
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041 _afre
042 _adc
100 1 0 _aHausman, Daniel M.
_eauthor
245 0 0 _aThe Bond between Positive and Normative Economics
260 _c2018.
500 _a51
520 _aThis essay clarifies the relations between positive economics and mainstream normative economics. If rationality can be characterized by conditions on preferences and choices and, in addition, people are, to a reasonable degree of approximation rational, then economists can invoke the theory of rationality to explain choices. If people are also, as in positive economics, largely self-interested and reasonably well-informed, then their preferences will also indicate their level of well-being. Modeling both choice and welfare in terms of rational preferences thus unites positive and normative economics. In explaining market outcomes in terms of individual choices, explaining choices by preferences, and taking preferences to indicate well-being, economists who are concerned with welfare defend a normative theory that piggybacks on their positive theory. This traditional mainstream normative theory is problematic, but because of its unity and its connection to positive economics, it is also very powerful.
690 _a rationality
690 _a preferences
690 _a welfare
690 _a normative economics
786 0 _nRevue d'économie politique | 128 | 2 | 2018-05-15 | p. 191-208 | 0373-2630
856 4 1 _uhttps://shs.cairn.info/journal-revue-d-economie-politique-2018-2-page-191?lang=en
999 _c207118
_d207118