Chapter 3 ~ Question 4/6 ~ Griffin Snow

This chapter was all about solving problems using economics. I really enjoyed reading about the problems brought up with externality, and the solutions people have proposed to fix, or at least reduce the damage dealt, these very relevant topics. One of the first examples from Wheelan was of taxation of large trucks, or cars that get very bad gas mileage. Looking at the problem, it would seem like that would reduce the total emissions, and help the environment, fixing the initial problem. However, as this might fix the initial proposed problem, would this cause more problems for the people who use these trucks for business, not for leisure? If the tax was placed, this might not allow for a worker to afford to buy the truck to haul lumber or pull a trailer, while someone who is rich enough to drive the truck "to the grocery store" would not be effected by the tax anyways. As far as solutions go, there never seems to be one answer. He talked about the question given by Nobel Prize winner Amartya Sen, who hypothetically was going to hire workers. There was one position to fill, but 3 applicants. If they all have equal qualifications, how do you choose between them? The only difference is how the decision affects them personally. One of them was poor, one seemed slightly depressed, and one had health problems that could be fixed by the money acquired from the job. She had many interesting ideas on which to hire, but there is no right answer. This type of problem solving stuck out to me, because when there is no right or wrong answer, what do you?