AM01 Intro

Daily Schedule:

Friday 7th September to Monday 10th September

Read: An Islamic Approach to Microeconomics -- this provides a brief summary, a 90m Video Lecture, and an extended outline of the lecture. Read the summary, Then read the outline, and THEN view the lecture.

Read Post: The Central Importance of a Meta-Theory for Economics

Also Read: The Structure of Scientific Revolutions -- By Thomas Kuhn

OPTIONAL: Follow links given in these readings for further depth of understanding of topics discussed in the lecture and readings.

All students will be divided into groups, and will receive a Teaching Assistant -- this will be arranged in Tuesday morning class at 9:00am . For this purpose, bring a paper with TWO items -- What was the SINGLE most important lesson that you learned from your reading/video? What was the SINGLE most puzzling or confusing thing, which you did not understand (ONE question about the materials). Trade these questions among yourselves, and use as basis for discussion. If you cannot resolve the issues among yourselves and come to a clear conclusion, ask your TA to ask me for clarification.

From Mon/Tue until the Class on Friday -- go over AM02: Supply and Demand Models -- in general, like this, every week we will cover two lectures -- just as was done last year.

==============Material from Previous Academic Year: Sept 2017====================

A the Center of our Approach is META-THEORY. This means theories about theories. We will study the whole of Economic Theory as an object. This is a collection of ideas about how the economic system works. What is this collection of ideas? Who invented these ideas? What impact do these ideas have on the world? How have these ideas changed over time? What is the process which creates changes in these ideas?

These are all META Questions.

As opposed to this, in usual courses, you study the THEORY itself. THEORY is taught as being the TRUTH. You are told that MICRO THEORY is the TRUTH about the real world, and you should learn it, in order to understand the real world around you. Then you learn the theory from the inside. META theoretician studies theories from the outside.

A more polished summary of the lecture AM01 on my personal website asadzaman.net

Sample Question for Final:

Explain the differences between Western conception of knowledge and Islamic conception. There are many -- pick ONE difference ONLY. Then explain this difference in ABSTRACT and GENERAL terms.

Explain the Western Viewpoint as and IDEA

Then explain How this viewpoint affects the PRACTICE of education by showing how this idea translated into the practical aspects of the education you have received.

Then Explain the Islamic IDEA, and how it is opposed to western idea.

The explain How the Practical aspects of education would change today if we were to IMPLEMENT this idea in our educational systems.