Garett Hardin Lifeboat Ethics Summary

In the passage, Garett Hardin illustrates in “Lifeboat Ethics: The Case Against Helping The Poor,” he describes his stand on global overpopulation and how it may effect on the resources. Hardin creates a scenario based on lifeboat to represents how the globe is divided into two class: rich and poor nations. Hardin, implies how the lifeboat represents the limit capacity of the lifeboat. The author is assuring if population keeps overleaping, that our resources are becoming limited. Hardin based the passage on the global population. He points out the lifeboats are represents the wealthy class. On the other hand, surrounding outside the lifeboats are poor class. The poor class are swimming around in the ocean and trying to survive. Hardin then
asks what the life passengers should do. Hardin highlights, what should the passengers do. Should they think and help out the poor class or share their wealth with them. Later on, Hardin created his scenario based on the lifeboat. He implies that a boat containing the hold capacity of 50 people, but later is kind of enough to let an extra of 10 people to get in the boat. Hardin narrates that 50 people are in the lifeboat and see a 100 of people swimming towards the lifeboat. They begging for entrance into the lifeboat. But Hardin stated that only 10 people were allowed into the boat. So question was later point out, how do the fellow passengers agreed on the people whom allowed into the boat. Hardin based his stand of view that rules are the rules. As Hardin stated, “This may solve the problem of the guilt-ridden person’s conscience, but it does not change the ethics of the lifeboat” (Hardin 291). Harding placing his stand on the rules as he demonstrates, he is not willing to give up his place unless there is a good reason. “Lifeboat Ethics: The Case Against Helping The Poor” provides information that author wants to based his beliefs. The author wanted to point out the relation the lifeboat has with survival of fellow passengers and others who trying to survive in the ocean. The author want to make it clear his points that his makes towards the overpopulation and the limited resources based on using the scenario of the lifeboat. On the other hand, the author uses the text to interpreted the information clearly for the reader. The author uses the passage to argued his points clearly and wants the reader to understand the text. The author points out about the global population and explains how if population starts growing, that resources will becoming limited. The way the author placed his stand on was great way, especially how created a scenario to understand. However, the assumptions that was made was not well inform, because many of the readers will understand. As the reader, the information the author gave was what he believes in. As he discusses about how passengers have think and make decisions to whom are allow in the boat. However, the author talks about the way the poor class is treated. As the wealth class, are taking care of by getting into the lifeboat. While the poor class are treated differently than the wealthy class. Overall, the passage was well entrained. As the author gave few great details as he created the scenario. As the reader, it was great selection to read as there was some details to back up. As the author, did aim towards his key points and not side track. The weakness of the selection was the way it limited how the fellow passengers would have selected the ones allow in the lifeboat. As the reader, you want to figure out what more is going on such as the fate of rest of swimmers that would not be allow in the lifeboats.