argue that people should be taught to care more deeply about others. Economists offer several answers to

these concerns.

First, economics is not a form of moral instruction. Rather, it seeks to describe economic behavior as it actually
exists. Philosophers draw a distinction between positive statements, which describe the world as it is, and

normative statements, which describe how the world should be. Positive statements are factual. They may be

true or false, but we can test them, at least in principle. Normative statements are subjective questions of

opinion. We cannot test them since we cannot prove opinions to be true or false. They just are opinions based

on one's values. For example, an economist could analyze a proposed subway system in a certain city. If the

expected benefits exceed the costs, he concludes that the project is worthy—an example of positive analysis.

Another economist argues for extended unemployment compensation during the COVID-19 pandemic
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