Garrett Hardin Analysis

Throughout this reading by Garrett Hardin, he presented in a very scientific fashion, a theory of the population problem. He argued against the freedom to “breed”, with the worry that the worlds human population is growing exponentially even as our resources just become more limited. His conclusion when confronting this problem was that population needs to be controlled in some way. With the application of his theory he states that breeding rights is a common good, but the people that abuse that right are the ones pushing us closer to extinction. He points out the forces that he believes must change in order to stop the continued growth of population and after doing so he suggests solutions. The “over breeders” will eventually force the gene pool of people that acknowledge their

Then taking that concept and compare it to our over breeding problem. If our government executive leaders used their power to regulate family to family decisions such as the allowed amount of children it would in return make us all more free. This sounds simple enough, but the key question is how this restriction is to be achieved. Hardin argued against the notion that a boost in technology that increases food production will enable an unlimited population increase. “A finite world can support only a finite population.” There is no possible way to enhance the quality of life with the addition of population growth. The calories obtainable per person must decrease with the population population growth so both of these desires coexisting cannot become a reality. Consequently, Hardin voided Jeremy Bentham’s words, “the greatest good for the greatest number”, and opposed it by saying, "the optimum population is, then, less than the maximum.” We can’t effectively resolve population which is a collective problem when we act as if individual choices will get us where we want to go. There were also solutions Hardin rejected that individually branched off of his original