ECONOMIC THINKING: A way of looking at, and analyzing, the way the world works by comparing the costs of an action with the benefits generated. Economic thinking arises from scarcity, which exists because wants and needs and unlimited but resources are limited. This means virtually all actions incur an opportunity cost. Identifying the cost of an action, no matter how hidden or subtle it may be, is the essence of economic thinking. See also | economics | opportunity cost | scarcity | unlimited wants and needs | limited resources |