Broome argues that no matter how it is distributed, whatever can be done to increase the overall well-being of people in the future should be done. I don't know if this is really going to happen though. I think the selfishness of citizens today will out-weight their concern for the generations to come.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Broome's Ethics of Climate Change
Climate change is not only a scientific issue, it's also and ethical one. Should we attempt to save the planet now or live today because we'll be gone tomorrow no matter what? Economists and environmentalists are faced with the decision... who is more important? People today or people tomorrow? There is no "should," because who would make that decision? But as John Broome puts it "you should not do something for your own benefit if it harms another person."
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Acts of selfishness shouldnt determine actions taken on the planet. Unfortunately, the very downfall of climate change come from the inhibitants themselves. Climate change is a result of human waste and biproducts. You cant make people care, you cant change someone, but you can make others aware. I think thats what the aim should be at this point its a good place to start.
ReplyDeleteIs this relevant to your notions about the film "just add water"?
ReplyDeleteBroome says that you can't make people care, that's just not going to happen. In the film, "just add water," nobody could change Dirk's mind about how he ran Trona into the ground.
ReplyDeleteI'm dealing with this issue in Stem Cell Biology this semester. The concept of whether or not to further embryonic stem cell research is being bogged down by those who want to cure those who are sick now versus those who want to save the potential lives of the embryos being used for research. In this case, I think it's more important to cure those who are suffering now. But in regards to Broome's case, I think the future generations should be more focused on. I think it's interesting to look at how overall viewpoints can vary depending on the case.
ReplyDeletetrue julie, I like how you related this to another class... even if it is a horrible one
ReplyDelete