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By: Ronald F. White, Ph.D. Professor of Philosophy College of Mount St. Joseph • Rachel Carson, Silent Spring (1962) • 1970s Environmental Movement • 1970-Environmental Protection Agency • Are ecosystems “persons” or “property” – If persons…what is rights do ecosystems have and what are our duties as humans? – If property…how do we respect public property rights? • Tragedy of the Commons • Two kinds of Theories – Anthropocentric Theories – Non-Anthropocentric Theories • • Humans are the Center of the Moral Universe – Only humans have intrinsic value – The Natural Environment has extrinsic value – Nature as Property » Private property » Public property Problems: – Non-Scientific status of humans in evolutionary theory – Dismal track record for anthropocentric theories – Long-term v. Short-term Interests • Problem of Future Generations – Private Property v. Public Property • Tragedy of the Commons – • Root of the Problem: Moral obligations to the least advantaged. (anthropocentric) • Do present generations have duties toward future generations? – If so, what are those duties? – How far into the future do these duties extend? 1 generation or 100 generations? – What happens when those duties conflict with our duties toward the present generation, especially the least advantaged present? • • Humans are not the Center of the Moral Universe • Ecosystems have Intrinsic Value – Eastern Religions – Darwinism Problems: – Weak Human Incentive to preserve the environment – Tendency to sacrifice poor powerless humans in the present – Weak cultural support • Stockholder Theory (Market Distribution) – “When in Rome do as the Romans do.” – Act on legality not morality – Problems: • Corrupt and/or weak governments • Weak monitoring and enforcement of environmental laws, especially in developing countries • Stakeholder Theory (Social Distribution) – “When in Rome do what is right.” – Public Property-Private Property – Governmental Protection of the Environment • Problem of Future Generations • Tragedy of the Commons • “When everyone owns it nobody owns it?” • Environmental Impact – Pollution – Resource Depletion – Extinction • Solutions – Pass Environmental Protection Laws • Problem: Monitoring and Enforcement at a Global Level – Develop Global Environmental Protection Institutions • Problems: Ineffective Global Institutions, Non-Compliance by Powerful Interests – Teach humans to Respect Public Property • Problem: Weak Public Schools (Tragedy of Commons) – Expand private ownership of the environment • Problem: Imprudent Ownership – Owners Sacrifice Long-Term Sustainability for Short-Term Gain – Ownership of Common Air and Waterways. (Flow) • Pollution – Air Pollution: Global Warming – Water Pollution: • Corporations • Governments – Resource Depletion • • • • Coal Oil Plants and Animals Water