MidTerm 1

Question 1

Define Economics

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Answer 1

=The study of how human beings adapt to changing conditions of scarcity through social interaction

(parallel to ecology)

Question 2

What are the 3 levels of Policy?

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Answer 2

1) Personal
2) Organizational
3) Governmental

Question 3

What are the 2 models of environmental policy?

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Answer 3

1) Natural Scientists’ Model

2) Social Science and the Public Policy Process

Question 4

Explain the Natural Scientists’ Model.

(Lec 1

Answer 4

=teaches a/o how the env works and a/o how human activity influences environmental outcomes

Science transcribe this knowledge into legislation and regulations.

Perspective: Society exists in an environmental context: Spaceship Earth

• are limits to growth
• no acknoledgement of tradeoffs
• stated in terms of benefits w/ no costs
• opposition = attributed to evil motives

Question 5

Explain Social Science and the Policy Making Process.

Lec 1

Answer 5

=actual env policy “not the theorized way the natural scienctist assumed”

People act on a basis of self interest and respond to incentives
-including Legislators, NGOs, etc

Public Choice Theory
=Good Intentions may not lead to Good Outcomes
-Policy development involved conflict and tradoffs

Perspective: The env exists in a social context: The Social Airplane
-limits to growth are not physical, but creative

Question 6

What is the problem with Social Coodrination?

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Answer 6

= Diversity and Coexistence

eg.
Vegans vs Meat Eaters
Liberal vs Conservative

• we have diverse values/preferences/beliefs
  ? If our actions = influenced by our beliefs, isn’t chaose inevitable

A social science issue, not a natural science
- is not technical solution
(Garrett Hardin)

Question 7

What is the Public Choice Theory?

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Answer 7

=Good Intentions may not lead to Good Outcomes

-Policy development involved conflict and tradoffs

Question 8

What are the 2 options for Social Coordination?

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Answer 8

1) Bottom Up Theory
2) Top Down Theory

Bottom Up Theory: 
- Order = possible w/out a ruler 
= private property
-need places of refuge, places off limits to rulers
eg. Aristotle, Adam Ferguson, Smith

Top Down Theory
-Social Coordination required a ruler
- We need a new type of human being w/ better values
=State Coercion
-the state imposes order by force (Leviathan)
eg. Plato, Marx, Hobbes

Question 9

What is the Bottom Up Theory?

Lec 1

Answer 9

• Order = possible w/out a ruler
  = private property
  -need places of refuge, places off limits to rulers
  eg. Aristotle, Adam Ferguson, Smith

Question 10

What is the Top Down Theory?

Lec 1

Answer 10

-Social Coordination required a ruler
- We need a new type of human being w/ better values
=State Coercion
-the state imposes order by force (Leviathan)
eg. Plato, Marx, Hobbes