publication . Article . 2006

Ethics of large-scale change

Name: Ethics of large-scale change
Creator: Finn Arler
Keywords: Ethics, Large-scale changes, Population growth, Ecological footprint, Energy, Climate change, Fossil fuels, Thinking like a mountain, Cost-benefit analysis, Future generations, Equity, Justice, Concentric circle theory, Complex equality, Geography, Planning and Development, General Earth and Planetary Sciences

Finn Arler;

Open Access English

Published: 01 Jan 2006

Country: Denmark

Summary

Abstract

<p>The subject of this paper is long-term large-scale changes in human society. Some very significant examples of large-scale change are presented: human population growth, human appropriation of land and primary production, the human use of fossil fuels, and climate change. The question is posed, which kind of attitude is appropriate when dealing with large-scale changes like these from an ethical point of view. Three kinds of approaches are discussed: Aldo Leopold's mountain thinking, the neoclassical economists' approach, and finally the so-called Concentric Circle Theories approach. It is argued that the last of these three approaches must be prefe...

doi: 10.1080/00167223.2006.10649562

Subjects

free text keywords: Ethics, Large-scale changes, Population growth, Ecological footprint, Energy, Climate change, Fossil fuels, Thinking like a mountain, Cost-benefit analysis, Future generations, Equity, Justice, Concentric circle theory, Complex equality, Geography, Planning and Development, General Earth and Planetary Sciences, Ecology, Neoclassical economics, Human use, Equity (finance), Human society, Appropriation, Economics

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