Ethical Questions

Not all global change issues are scientific that can be addressed by uncovering new facts. Some questions that arise are value judgements that depend on cultural, religious, and ethical considerations. It is important to recognize the difference between scientific and ethical questions so that we have clear expectations about the outcome of discussion on each. Some ethical questions that arise in the study of global change include:

the value of maintaining a high degree of biodiversity
the need for and mechanisms for controlling human population
use of genetically modified plant and animal materials for meeting food needs of an increasing global population
intergenerational equity: preserving natural resources so our children and grandchildren have the same opportunity as us to lead comfortable and fulfilling lives.

One ethical question is posed during each block, and all students are required to submit thoughts on this issue. A minimum of one response is required. The primary criterion for evaluating responses to ethical questions is participation, although errors in fact or logic and lack of original thought are grounds for reduction in scores.

Please do not comment on whether the ethical question is practical, scientifically or economically sound, or whether it would be accepted by current US (or other cultural) society. Your comment should focus on whether the proposal statement is the right thing to do.

Grading of the Ethical Question (EQ) for Block 1 and 2 will provide reasons for less-than-expected performance, with challenges for improvement on subsequent blocks. Grading for the EQ for Block 3 will be simply a numerical score.