...Professor Richter Tragedy of the Commons Analysis The Tragedy of the Commons is an effective metaphor to understanding the exploitation of global property resources by private producers. Its flaws as a metaphor stems from the gross assumptions it makes on human behavior and motivations. When taken at face value, the metaphor can be used to explain broad resource issues that nations are still dealing with today, such as global climate change and the use of natural resources. However, when closely inspected, its generalization about the community-shared commons is not as accurate. Garret Hardin's article has received vast critical acclaim and is considered one of the finest works regarding natural resource issues. In his article, Hardin claims that all commonly owned resources are doomed to destruction. This is due to the fact that men are greedy, and instinctively pursue their own best interests. Given is an example involving a common pasture open to all, in which it is expected that every herdsman is going to try keep as many cattle on the commons as possible in-order to try make the most profit. However as the commons is overgrazed productivity goes down causing each herdsman to add more cattle in an attempt to bring their profits back up. It is in this desire for self-interest that the tragedy of the commons occurs. The Tragedy of the Commons metaphor is best understood when applied to large-scale resource issues. In order to do so, the community commons Hardin referred...
Words: 701 - Pages: 3
...so as to ensure their long-term economic viability. Some people recommend that the state control most natural resources to prevent their destruction and overuse; others recommend that privatizing those resources will solve the problem. The reality is not that simple; the logic of the tragedy of the commons depends on a set of assumptions about human motivation, about the rules of governing the use of the commons, and about the character of the common resource. According to Elinor Ostrom, “neither the state nor the market is uniformly successful in enabling individuals to sustain long-term, productive use of natural resource systems”. This means that there isn’t just “one way” to solve problems concerning common resources. Aristotle observed that “what is common to the greatest number has the least care bestowed upon it. Everyone thinks chiefly of his own, hardly at all of the common interest”. The purpose of this paper is to present what the tragedy of the commons is and the approach of the study of self-governance; also, to give an overview of the commons in modern life. The Tragedy of the Commons Professor Garret Hardin developed this idea in a well-known essay “The Tragedy of the Commons” (1968). He argued that commonly owned and freely accessible resources tend to become depleted when or...
Words: 3295 - Pages: 14
...What is the Tragedy of Commons? Who came up with the theory? The tragedy of the commons is the tendency of a shared, limited resource to become depleted because people act from self-interest for short-term gain. Garrett Hardin came up with the theory. Explain how the Tragedy of the Commons could apply to the ocean. The fishermen overfish marine animals from the ocean. It will cause the number of marine animals to decline quickly. It eventually will upset the balance of entire marine ecosystems What is an externality? Who pays for the costs of externalities? Describe one positive externality and one negative externality of living near the ocean. An externality is a cost or benefit of a good or service that is not included in the purchase price of the good or service. Human...
Words: 1680 - Pages: 7
...In Arthur Miller’s article, “Tragedy and the Common Man,” he discusses the idea surrounding one’s position in society and the level of regard that is held around their death. According to Miller, people are becoming more skeptical about the idea of “heroes” existing, and only consider the demise of significant figures like kings to be “tragic.” But, he refutes this idea with an argument claiming that the common man can be held to the same standing. Using references to Greek mythology and Shakespeare, Miller asserts that anyone willing to sacrifice himself is to be considered a “tragic hero.” In addition, Miller states that “the underlying struggle is that of the individual attempting to gain a "rightful" position in his society,” essentially...
Words: 560 - Pages: 3
...Environmental Science 09/11/15 Is “The Tragedy of the Commons” still relevant? The Tragedy of the Commons is an economic problem in which every person tries to benefit from a resource. “Commons” refers to resources that are shared, but not regulated, i.e. the atmosphere, oceans, rivers, etc. As the demand for the resource grows, and people overindulge in it, others are harmed because they do not receive enough. For example, if a village contains six families of four and one lake full of fish, if the villagers do not work together, then one family may get all of the fish while the others starve. The main focus of the Tragedy of the Commons is “supply and demand”, if the supply does not match the demand, then people go without. “The Tragedy of the Commons”, an article written by Garrett Hardin, focuses on the claim that there is no technical solution to some problems; a technical solution is one that requires “a change only in the techniques of the natural sciences, demanding little or nothing in the way of change in human values of ideas of morality.” (1243). Hardin calls upon Wiesner and York because they insisted that the solution to the problem, in this case, nuclear war, was not a technical solution. This article is still relevant today, even though the data is outdated. Hardin expresses his opinions using an example. “Picture a pasture open to all. It is expected that each herdsman will try to keep as many cattle as possible on the commons. Such an arrangement may work for...
Words: 871 - Pages: 4
...REVISITING THE ”TRAGEDY OF THE COMMONS” University Sciences Po Paris Semester: Fall 2011/2012 Student: Sönke-Timo Kisker Student – ID: 100033186 Course: Thinking and Acting the Environment Course-ID: 23811 Course Coordinaton: Florence Faucher-King; Thomas Léon Assignment: Mid-term paper Word-count: 2746 Date: 18.10.2011 | Agenda I. Introduction 2 II. Specifying a framework 2 a. Defining ‘global public good’ 2 b. Defining the “Tragedy,”within Game theory 3 III. Revisiting Hardin's main assumptions and argumentations 4 c. Variables influencing rational choices of Individuals 4 d. The concept value and ethics in decisionmaking 5 IV. Practical examples of dealing with the commons 6 e. Mc Evoy's findings of assigning responsibility 6 f. Co-Management 6 ...
Words: 3438 - Pages: 14
...Discussion on Tragedy of the Commons | This paper intends to discuss the basic theories within the scope of the tragedy of commons, especially from the ethics perspective. In addition, the paper also explicitly explores two possible ways to solve the tragedy of the commons, the free market solution and the socialism solution, and applies these ways to a real case of Euro’s Tragedy. In the end, referring to Elinor Ostrom’s theory in 2009, the paper recommends the collective agreement from the moral perspective to be the possible ideal solution to the tragedy of the commons. | | Contents 1. Introduction 1 2. Formation 2 2.1 Theoretical explain of the formation 2 2.2 Hardin’s grazing model 4 3. Ethics Involved 5 3.1 Ethical Egoism Theory 5 3.2 Utilitarian Theory 5 3.3 Moral Foundation Theory, Virtue Theory and Confucius 6 3.4 Right Theory 6 4. Solutions to the Tragedy 7 4.1 Free market solution 7 4.2 Socialism solution 9 4.3 Comparison of the Two Solutions 10 4.3.1 Attitude towards self-interest 11 4.3.2 Attitude towards common resources 11 4.3.3 Government Function 11 4.3.4 Incentive structures 11 4.3.5 Outcomes 12 5. Case of Euro’s Tragedy 12 5.1 How Euro’s Tragedy Happened 13 5.2 How it related to Tragedy of the Commons 14 5.3 Free Market Capitalism Solution and the Tragedy of Euro 14 5.4 Socialism Solution and the Tragedy of Euro 15 6. A Third Solution 17 6.1 Ethical Obligation 17 6.2 Cultivating Ethics 17 6.3 Elinor Ostrom’s Theory 18 ...
Words: 5411 - Pages: 22
...decisions that are rational and/or for self-gain, because they believe someone else is and/or going to do the same, is called the Tragedy of the Commons. People usually feel that someone else is going to cheat or make a rational decision to benefit him or herself before they feel comfortable doing the same. In addition, if someone feels that the goal of the group begins to seem unattainable, they may make a rationally decision. When tragedy of the common happens, it is usually the cause of a failure of collective action. Although, to prevent the tragedy of common there must be a strong best interest in the group, but when this is not enough the government is required for policing and enforcement....
Words: 529 - Pages: 3
...In his essay “Tragedy and the Common Man” Arthur Miller attempts to redefine both the genre of tragedy and the tragic hero. According to Miller, a tragedy is defined as a man wrestling with how he defines himself in regards to his environment, and that above all, Miller believes that tragedies should be optimistic. Miller states that the “wound from which the inevitable events spiral is the wound of indignity… Tragedy, then, is the consequence of a man’s total compulsion to evaluate himself justly”. Miller is saying that all tragedies stem from an attack on the main characters dignity, and all tragedies are therefore a result of a man’s attempt to make sense of who he is after having been shamed. By using the word inevitable, Miller seems to...
Words: 1507 - Pages: 7
...The chapter starts off talking about making a decision and leads into what “the tragedy of the commons” is. It’s the idea that what is appropriate for one individual might not be so for many. He ties this into how this paradox applies to teaching when he says “there is a proper amount of any given approach to teaching. Things that may be very effective if done once in awhile can become ineffective if done too often.” Therefore, teachers need to differentiate and use different approaches on different days while allowing students to be on predictable ground. He says that the best approaches are the ones where students learn to the best of their ability. That means tailoring approaches to the kind of students a teacher has. The selection...
Words: 432 - Pages: 2
...The Northern Cod Moratorium of 1992 and the Tragedy of the Commons As defined by Garrett Hardin using the example of herdsmen who are all dependent on one open, common pasture, the tragedy of the commons refers to the phenomenon where there is a depletion of a shared resource, caused by individuals acting towards their own self-interests rather than thinking of the long term interests of the group (1968). This phenomenon can also relate to another theory known as the prisoner’s dilemma. First framed by Merrill Flood and Melvin Dresher, the prisoner’s dilemma is a situation in which two individuals, who have been accused of a crime, are taken in for questioning by the police (Dixit & Nalebuff, 1991). Furthermore, both individuals each have two options, either to accuse the other person or not to cooperate with the police. In most cases, the individuals choose a self-serving option in order to save themselves. However, this theory does not only have to apply to prisoners but can also apply in economics in regards to firms and their competition and how cooperation between companies can often lead to a greater good (Dixit & Nalebuff, 1991). These two theories occur often in day-to-day life and seem to reveal how humans are predisposed to think of themselves first before thinking about the good of others. This paper will examine the extent of these theories related to the overfishing of Northern Cod on the eastern cost of Canada and how...
Words: 1504 - Pages: 7
... Miller, “Tragedy and Common man” & Aristotle Poetics A tragic hero according Aristotle’s Poetics, is an ideal noble man with a flaw. Oedipus fits into the context of a flawed man, a man with given stature, and catharsis that propel him into a tragic hero. Oedipus as a tragic hero is caring concerned king whom the people trusted and loved. However, his impulsive temper caused him to make mistakes. On, the other, hand, Willie Lowman was a tragic hero as he was ready to lay down his love for the love of his family. Miller gives the flawed sense of a tragic hero in the sense of personal dignity that Lowman is willing to fulfill even in his death. The characteristics that Miller offers in terms catharsis and stature fits Lowman, he involved himself in a car accident so that his son Biff could use the insurance money to start a business and become a successful person in the society. This paper will discuss Willie Lowman, and Oedipus, as tragic heroes based on the stature, tragic flaw, and catharsis in their respective stories. A tragic hero according to Miller is a common person as opposed to the belief that a tragic hero must be a form of a king. He says, “we are often held to be below tragedy or tragedy below us……… that tragedy fits only for the highly placed… where this admission is not made in so many words it is often implied.” A tragic hero, therefore, is a common and both a highly placed person in the society. The belief that tragedy does not affect a common forces Miller...
Words: 995 - Pages: 4
...analysis and rational decision making. The process of making economic decisions is complex as that of consumer decision making. When making decisions, businesses derive most of the critical choices from macroeconomics data, any of the choice made could mean the failure or success of their enterprise. The accuracy, reliability and validity of the information the business uses are of great importance (Tremmel, 2008). My aim in this paper, therefore, is to discuss and identify any decision-making processes. I will also consider incentives of stakeholders and how concepts such as equity, externalities, and efficiency influence the economy. I will achieve this objective by analyzing the Yasuni case, “A tragedy of commons”. Before I delve into Yasuni initiative, “A tragedy of commons”, it will be better if I highlight the steps of the decision-making process. A decision process has about...
Words: 1768 - Pages: 8
...According to Miller why do some not consider tragedy a relevant genre for the modern age? According to Miller there are very few tragedies written in the modern age, this is because of the rareness of heroes among us. Miller believes that the ‘Modern man has had the blood drawn out of his organs of belief by the scepticism of science’. What Miller is meaning by this is that today the society is reserved and is unwilling to take risks resulting in very few tragedies being written. Miller concludes by saying that he believes that tragedies are seen as old fashioned in today’s society, he also believes that tragedies were only suitable for the ‘very highly placed’ such as the kings or kingly. Who does Miller think is a suitable subject for tragedy and how does he support his claim? Miller claims that the common man is a suitable subject for a tragedy meaning the masses or the working class. Miller supports his claim by saying that modern psychiatry does in fact base its analysis upon classic formulations, for example the Oedipus where he kills his father and Orestes which is the tragedy where he kills his mother and her lover to avenge his father’s murder. However even though these tragedies were acted by royal individuals; these similar emotional situations apply to everyone. So in other words the common man would be a suitable subject for a tragedy as the common man is likely to experience similar emotional situations. According to Miller what is it about the tragic figure...
Words: 1087 - Pages: 5
...Hamlet Essay Tragedies commonly involve disasters, horrible mishaps and death. The great Greek philosopher Aristotle believed that a tragedy must have action which is pushed along by the character flaw of a “great” man. This idea of a “great” man or a person of high ranking being the protagonist in a tragedy is perpetuated in all of Shakespeare’s work. This leaves to speculate on the average person. The average person is not completely safe from the misery of tragedy. A supporting character is just as likely as any main character to experience tragedy. According to Arthur Miller, the “common” person is just as suitable for tragedy as any “great” person. The ideas of Aristotle and Miller contrast each other however both elements are noticeable in the play Hamlet. When a “great person” or the main character goes through a tragedy, it is rather evident. Ophelia and her father Polonius are considered “common” characters in the play that also experience great tragedy. In Miller’s essay, he outlines three main aspects that a “common” person would exhibit in a tragedy which makes their circumstances tragic. Firstly is the presence of a character that is ready to lay down their life to secure their personal sense of dignity. Next is the fear of being displaced and torn away from ones chosen image of their self. Lastly is being capable of victory. Ophelia and Polonius have chosen images of themselves and what their lives should be like and are willing to lay down their lives for their...
Words: 353 - Pages: 2
