Lifeboat Ethics the Case Against Helping the Poor free essay sample

Garrett Hardin, biologist from Stanford, used the metaphor of Earth being a â€Å"spaceship† persuading other countries, industries and people to stop polluting and washing natural resources of the world. He illustrates that the â€Å"spaceship† is represented by the wealthy countries, and the natural resources are represented as the poorer countries of the world. The wealthy people of the world have all the resources they need to survive and more, while other hand the poorer countries are unfortunate. Their rations are broken up into smaller and smaller portions because of their growing population and it lessens the resources to everyone of that country. Hardins argument is based on sharing. He proposes that the bigger countries should share what they have with the unfortunate countries of the world. He eventually reveals the meaning of his metaphors. The natural resources are exposed to be food. His argument is that there are so many countries in this world that are dying and suffering from lack of food. We will write a custom essay sample on Lifeboat Ethics: the Case Against Helping the Poor or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Hardin believes that if the wealthier countries share their â€Å"wealth then the weaker countries will have an opportunity to survive. Through the â€Å"lifeboat† metaphor, the use of logos, and the discovery of food bank, Hardin uses these key points as his argument. With regards to the population of the poor, Hardin uses a lifeboat for better understanding of the situation. â€Å"Metaphorically each nation can be seen as a lifeboat, full of comparatively rich people. In the ocean outside each lifeboat swim the poor of the world, who would like to get in or at least share some of the wealth† (415). This metaphor explains to the people that there are people out in the world that need help. People that are on the verge of dying, all they need is a helping hand for their survival. â€Å"For example, the weather varies from year to year, and periodic crop failures are certain. A wise and competent government saves out of the production of the good years in anticipation of years to come. Joseph taught this policy to Pharaoh in Egypt more than 2,000 years ago† (418). Even a long time ago food was stored away for emergencies, these are called food banks. Food banks were popular even in Hebrew times. Under a system of private property, the men who own property recognize their responsibility to take care of it, if they dont they will eventually suffer. â€Å"A farmer for instance, will allow no more cattle in a pasture that its carrying capacity justifies† (417). The land that farmers have only a certain amount of cattle can populate the land. If the cattle over populate the land then there will not be enough food for all the cattle which would lead them to starvation and die. As for the lifeboat metaphor, Hardin also uses logos to express his claims. â€Å"Poor countries have none. We should call this point to the attention of those who, from a commendable love of justice and equality, would institute a system of the commons.. † (423). In this statement being generous in different from giving from the heart that giving for ones credibility. In this article, â€Å"Lifeboat Ethics: The Case Against Helping the Poor†, Garrett Hardin argues to expose the worlds poverty in the form of a lifeboat by using the â€Å"lifeboat† metaphor, giving logical evidence, and using food banks to give the world an input on the poverty that continues in the world.