Blog 6 - Lifeboat Ethics

Garret Hardin provides an interesting, yet equally tragic, view on solving the problem of overburdening the earth with his lifeboat ethics. He believes that it is the overpopulation of the human race which is threatening nature. Hardin’s lifeboat ethics states that we can either help everyone survive, save the most people possible that the earth can sustain, or save no one and let only the fortunate survive. The first two are implausible, according to him, because if we save everyone we all die and what parameters will pick who gets to be saved. The sad truth is, if we were on a lifeboat, I believe most people would let others die rather than imperil their own lives. It is a basic instinct of all creatures to survive, although our ability to think and feel empathy may lead some people of remarkable character to risk their own lives for the sake of others. Hardin believes that we should not save the “drowning survivors”, therefore the earth will not be overburdened and sustainability is feasible.

Hardin believes that humanitarian aid is a road block to sustainability. Such organizations save the sick and feed the hungry of third world countries. This allows for high birth rates and an increase in impoverished people. Now there are more mouths to feed with each generation and a larger strain is placed on the environment. Hardin believes it is human’s shortsightedness that allows this to happen and that nature can save itself without this extra strain. If it was left to him, he would let millions die of starvation and essential let nature take its course. It certainly would solve the dilemma of overpopulation.

Hardin’s view is indeed tragic, and in a way it does solve a problem. What he is not considering is the overconsumption of the “modern world” and the extreme harm countries like the US do to it. The US alone contributes of 25% of the world’s greenhouse gases (p.73). Even with less people, international companies would come from all over to exploit the land from these countries that were left to die of starvation. The real problem is the greed of humanity, especially seen in first world countries and large companies. If Africa became almost uninhabited if left to starve to death, would entrepreneurs and businesses not look to all this available land and somehow try to extract some value from it? There is more to this world’s problems than what Hardin addresses, such as overconsumption from modern countries.