----------------- HES POSTING ----------------- Susan Feiner write: << How can one foster critical thinking if the readings are all from standard texts? What is there to critically think about? >> I think it only fair to say that there are some standard texts that do a pretty good job of introducing students to economic thought and economic thinking. For example, I've used both Mankiw's macro principles and his intermediate macro for several years and have found that it presents a somewhat balanced view of things and, in so doing, gets students thinking critically about economic fundamentals and issues. He not only presents the mainstream Keynesian view in all its traditional garb, but his texts also contain chapters which focus objectively on the work of some outstanding modern economists such as Milton Friedman. I've found that comparing and contrasting the views of these two schools of thought does seem to get the desired effect from students. Chas Anderson ------------ FOOTER TO HES POSTING ------------ For information, send the message "info HES" to [log in to unmask]