Ethics

Lifeboat Ethics is certainly interesting, however, as an ethical theory it fails to hold water. The ethical theory demands that people sacrifice their standard of living. The theory also entails that population must decrease. So it is not really the ethical conundrum that Kohak makes it out to be when survivors are involved, Lifeboat ethics would gladly have them gone. The ethical theory brings in to question the true source of value. This theory would appear to be anthropocentric, but gives humans no basic rights. Its goal is the long term sustainability of humanity, nevertheless, it contradicts it self when it causes the death of humans either indirectly or directly. This ethical theory is more like a lifeboat that has sprung a leak.
Kohak does not suggest this theory; he merely uses it to make a point. The point is that the planet won’t hold us forever. The massive amount of consumption per person means that humanity can’t sustain its growth rate. Nevertheless, if people do voluntarily simplify their lives and survival became the focus of economics and not pleasure, humanity would certainly be able to continue its growth rate. No species, even humans, grow when there is no food or shelter; the growth rates during famines tell us this.