Garrett Hardin
Garrett Hardin
Garrett James Hardinwas an American ecologist and philosopher who warned of the dangers of overpopulation. His exposition of the tragedy of the commons, in a famous 1968 paper in Science, called attention to "the damage that innocent actions by individuals can inflict on the environment". He is also known for Hardin's First Law of Human Ecology: "You cannot do only one thing", which "modestly implies that there is at least one unwanted consequence"...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionEnvironmentalist
Date of Birth21 April 1915
CountryUnited States of America
The National Parks present another instance of the working out of the tragedy of the commons. At present, they are open to all, without limit.
One simple fact proves that none has: there is no prosperous population in the world today that has, and has had for some time, a growth rate of zero.
To many, the word coercion implies arbitrary decisions of distant and irresponsible bureaucrats; but this is not a necessary part of its meaning.
If our goal is to maximize population it is obvious what we must do: We must make the work calories per person approach as close to zero as possible.
In our day (though not in earlier times) technical solutions are always welcome.
Value is a relative concept: the value of each action is determined by comparing it with other possible actions.
You can never do merely one thing. The law applies to any action that changes something in a complex system. The point is that an action taken to alleviate a problem will trigger several effects, some of which may offset or even negate the one intended.
The rational man finds that his share of the cost of the wastes he discharges into the commons is less than the cost of purifying his wastes before releasing them.
Economists (and others) who are satisfied with nature-free equations develop a dangerous hubris about the potency of our species
The rational herdsman concludes that the only sensible course for him to pursue is to add another animal to his herd. And another; and another . . . But this is the conclusion reached by each and every rational herdsman sharing a commons. Therein is the tragedy. Each man is locked into a system that compels him to increase his herd without limit — in a world that is limited. Ruin is the destination toward which all men rush, each pursuing his own best interest in a society that believes in the freedom of the commons. Freedom in a commons brings ruin to all.
Never globalize a problem if it can possibly be dealt with locally.
Throughout history, human exploitation of the earth has produced this progression: colonize-destroy-move on.
Thou shalt not transgress the carrying capacity
There is nothing more dangerous than a shallow thinking compassionate person