by
Walter E. Williams

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One of the
more difficult lessons to teach economics neophytes – and, many
times, trained economists – is that economic theory cannot say anything
definitive about subjective statements, such as what’s better, good,
bad or worse. Let’s try a few examples to make the point.

Cabernet sauvignon
wine is better than fume blanc. Turkey is better than pork. Matter
in the solid state is better than the plasma state. Each of those
statements begs the question: Where’s the proof? With subjective
statements such as those, disagreements can go on forever. It’s
simply a matter of personal opinion. One person’s opinion of what’s
better or worse is just as good as another’s.

Contrast those
statements with objective ones, such as: Water is 2 parts hydrogen
and 1 part oxygen. Scientists cannot split the atom. The distance
in degrees from the equator to the North Pole is 90. With positive
statements such as those, if there’s any disagreement, there are
facts to which one can appeal to settle the disagreement. For example,
if one person says scientists can split the atom and another says
they cannot, a trip to Stanford’s linear accelerator to watch atoms
being split settles the matter. However, if you say fume blanc is
better than cabernet sauvignon and I say cabernet sauvignon is better,
our disagreement can go on forever because there are no facts or
figures to which we can appeal.

A useful clue
as to whether a statement is subjective is the use of words such
as should, ought, better and worse. I tell my students that though
it’s important for thinking properly to know whether a statement
is subjective or not, by no means do I suggest they purge their
vocabulary of subjective statements. Subjective statements are very
useful in fooling others into doing something you want them to do;
however, in the process of fooling others, one need not fool himself.
For example, President Barack Obama said that college is “an economic
imperative that every family in America should be able to afford.”
There’s absolutely no evidence to support such a claim, but it’s
a good way to trick others into paying for someone else’s education.

How about the
statement that people should not engage in race or sex discrimination?
Whatever the emotional worth of such a statement, it’s a value judgment,
with no facts or evidence to back it up, plus interpreted literally,
it’s nonsense. Think about it. Discrimination is simply the act
of choice. Whenever we choose, we discriminate. When we choose one
person for a mate, we discriminate most of the time by race and
sex. Would we want a society in which there are penalties for such
discrimination?

I’ve had students
argue that discrimination by race and sex in marriage is trivial
and of little consequence but that there should be equal opportunity
in employment. But what is equal opportunity, and how could you
tell whether it existed? I’ve asked students whether upon college
completion they will give every employer an equal opportunity to
hire them. Most often, with a puzzled look on their faces, they
answer no. Then I ask, “If you are not going to give every employer
an equal opportunity to hire you, why should employers be forced
to give you an equal opportunity to be hired?”

When
the class discussion turns to the law of demand, sometimes the term
“need” arises. A student might say a car, a cellphone and running
water are essential needs. My response is that cars, cellphones
and running water can’t be essential needs, because people have
managed to do without those items for a longer period than they’ve
done with them. There’s nothing that people cannot do without, but
the consequences might not be very pleasant.

Some might
say, “Williams, this thinking of yours is not very compassionate!”
That’s right. I believe that being compassionate toward one’s fellow
man requires dispassionate thinking and analysis. In other words,
we need to think with our brains, not with our hearts.

July
10, 2012

Walter
E. Williams is the John M. Olin distinguished professor of economics
at George Mason University, and a nationally syndicated columnist.
To find out more about Walter E. Williams and read features by other
Creators Syndicate columnists and cartoonists, visit the Creators
Syndicate web page.

Copyright
© 2012 Creators Syndicate, Inc.

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