SMU – PHIL 3379 – ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS – FALL 2025 – JEAN KAZEZ

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Wednesday, February 12, 2025

MODULE 2: Population trends

 PREVIEW

  1. Friday: Toby Ord, "Underpopulation or Overpopulation?"
  2. Monday: Debate -- on that topic
  3. Today: population questions, tragedy of the commons
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RECAP

Commons problems

  1. Shared pasture
  2. Free parking 
  3. National park access 
  4. Dumping garbage 
  5. Air pollution 
  6. Water use 
  7. Buffalo hunting 
  8. Having children 



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Reports

What are the actual population trends today?
What are the factors that influence the birth rate?
  1. Hardin's answer:  limitless desire for children, harnessed only by coercion
  2. But....he overlooked other factors
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Links we might need


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If birthrates are falling and total population is going to stabilize, is overpopulation still an environmental problem?  WORKBOOK