Chaos in Basics of Economics (About Ambiguity of the Terms “Positive Economics” and “Normative Economics”)

In this article I want to show the ambiguity of the popular division of economics: “positive economics” and “normative economics”. In my opinion economists interpret the meaning of these terms in different ways. At the beginning I present the criteria of distinguishing “positive economics” from “normative economics”, which are often used by different groups of contemporary economists. Then I create a typology of different meanings of these terms used by the economists. Finally, I quote different economists who use these terms in different meanings. This way I present the ambiguities in economists’ language. I conclude by indicating the damage caused by the ambiguity of the discussed classification. It can be the cause of unsolved arguments that unnecessarily involve participants’ time and effort.