Economics of Life and Death

Abstract

The classical textbook definition of economics portrays the field as one that deals chiefly with how a society employs limited resources with alternative uses to produce goods and services for present and/or future consumption. However, in a recent issue of Scientific American, Amartya Sen exhorted professional economists to look at economic science not as a discipline solely concerned with income and wealth, but as one that deals with social issues and paradoxes such as islands of poverty in rich nations, famines amidst plenty, and higher mortality rates and lower survival rates for racial and ethnic minorities. Given this backdrop,  this  paper will deal with what Sen called "The Economics of Life and Death." Specifically, the paper examines the correlates of premature death, infant mortality rates, and the associated costs.

PDF

In Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Permitted

This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. In addition, no permission is required from the rights-holder(s) for non-commercial uses. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-NC/1.0/