Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 1: Problem 24

The person who smokes cigarettes cannot possibly be thinking in terms of costs and benefits because it has been proven that cigarette smoking increases one's chances of getting lung cancer. Do you agree or disagree with the part of the statement that reads "the person who smokes cigarettes cannot possibly be thinking in terms of costs and benefits"? Explain your answer.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Disagree. It's incorrect to generalize that those who smoke cigarettes can't possibly consider costs and benefits. Personal decisions, including smoking, are subjective and individual. Smokers may acknowledge the health risks, yet find the perceived benefits outweigh these risks. The 'costs' and 'benefits' in decision making are individual and subjective, varying from person to person.

Step by step solution

01

Analyzing the Statement

Firstly, consider the given statement and its underlying assumption that a smoker fails to think in terms of costs (health risks) and benefits (pleasure or stress relief) because of the hazard of lung cancer. This interpretation ignores the fact that individuals could have different perspectives on benefits and costs.
02

Exploring the Individual's Perspective

It is possible that a smoker might well understand the risk of lung cancer (cost), yet for them, the benefits, such as stress relief, pleasure, social acceptance, might outweigh this risk. This is a subjective matter and varies from person to person.
03

Formulating the Argument

It's important now to formulate your argument, i.e., whether you agree or disagree with the statement. Given our analysis, it becomes evident that we can disagree with the statement as it generalizes all smokers' perspectives, neglecting the subjectivity and individuality of decision making.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

A change in \(X\) will lead to a change in \(Y .\) The predicted change is desirable, so we should change \(X .\) Do you agree or disagree? Explain.

What does an economist mean if she says that there are no \(\$ 10\) bills on the sidewalk?

Janice decides to go out on a date with Kyle instead of Robert. Do you think Janice is using some kind of rationing device to decide whom she dates? If so, what might that rationing device be?

Discuss the opportunity costs of attending college for four years. Is college more or less costly than you thought it was? Explain.

Explain the relationship between changes in opportunity cost and changes in behavior.
See all solutions

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free