Environment and Population: Philosophical Considerations - Essay Example

Environment and Population: Philosophical Considerations There are many differences in our age between different countries and each country has its own problems, but all human activities are reflected in their food and environment. In the book Ultimate Resource II (1996) written by Simon it is evident that the problem of food abundance overweighs a problem of food absence. Population is growing and developing countries are coming across a problem of food shortages, but in the developed world people are often puzzled by the problem of overconsumption and they have too much food to eat.

In the article: "From: Ben Wattenberg To: Kenneth Hill)" (Wednesday, Jan. 6, 1998) it is claimed that fertility rates are decreasing all over the world and of course environment would be subjected to a great external impact. Nevertheless, the author of the article claims that fertility rates would be potentially growing in case fertility restriction policies in China and Indonesia were relaxed. Moreover, in case the levels of fertility decreased then the number of people in the world would be decreased for sure.

The author of the article underlines the following thing: "the open spaces, less crowding, protection of biodiversity, less global warming, perhaps even some reduction in world poverty" (From: Ben Wattenberg To: Kenneth Hill, 1998). At the same time, people in the modern world live their better lives: they have a perfect opportunity, get better education etc, thus this coming generation would have a chance to perform at more advanced levels. This tendency is appropriate for developed countries, where fertility rates will be growing, but in developing countries fertility will decrease.

In accordance with this article, there are many different suggestions, such as reduction of college loans payment policies etc in the name of development of fertility policies. Hardin in 1977 claimed that there are different rates of population increase, even when he talked about lives in America in 70s and about the lives of the same period in Colombia, Ecuador and other developing countries. Very often America has granted money for various programs promoting humanitarian help in different developing countries.

It has been often argued that in such a way rich people helped poor people to survive, but they also wanted to give their money away from their pockets to poor people. This question exceeds the issue of population and environment relation. It is more about the issues of charity, bigheartedness etc. In 70s this claim occurred: "Food can, perhaps, be significantly increased to meet a growing demand" (Hardin, 1977). At that time there was a hope that population growth would be growing with food provision growing.

Unrestricted immigration, for example, can be hazardous even for developed countries. Singer (1972) underlines: the problem of poverty in Bengal concerns developed countries and the world's society was on alert in helping to deal with it. He also claims that it is a moral duty of every nation, which is able to help a poor nation, to deal with difficulties. Parker (2004) talked more about charity issues too. Of course, charity donation can be saving, but sometimes charity is a challenge and for an individual, who wants to donate his money there are many problems on his way to charity.

Kravinsky claimed that "charity is a start of a moral life". Rather controversial article is written by Ben Fawcett. He discusses the issues of a decent toilet absence in many countries and that 2.6 billion people live without it. The issues of sanitation remain open and the majority of nations, women, men and children do not know how to exist having a toilet. In the result of such a neglectful attitude, 1.5 million children are dying of diarrhoeal disease and different types of worms…These are awful consequences of a neglectful attitude of the authorities and governments to the relations between people and environment.

In accordance with the British Medical Journal survey (2007) the "sanitary revolution" went at a full pace and it was a milestone since 1840. There is a great shift in the sphere of medicine nowadays and people in the developing countries are open for international help. The WHO develops different innovations and improvements in their sphere of activity and promoters help and support for poor people. Anyway, a modern interaction between people and environment cannot be denied and humanity nowadays plays a role of a social buffer working in the name of nature preservation.

It is relevant to correlate relations between humanity and environment and look for optimal balance of interaction between people and their activities, which will not destroy, but preserve nature and environment. Works cited Anonymous. No food, one problem.  Much food, many problems. Fawcett, Ben. The right to a decent toilet - a right denied to 2.6 billion. (2008). From: Ben Wattenberg To: Kenneth Hill. (Wednesday, Jan. 6, 1998). Hardin, Garrett. "Lifeboat Ethics: The Case Against Helping the Poor". In W. Aiken and H.

La Follette (eds.), World Hunger and Moral Obligation (New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1977), 12-2l. Parker, Ian. The Gift Zell Kravinsky gave away millions. But somehow it wasn't enough. The New Yorker (August 2, 2004). Simon, Julian. The Ultimate Resource II. Princeton University Press, 1996. Singer, Peter. "Famine, Affluence and Morality". Philosophy and Public Affairs 1 (Spring 1972): 229 -43.