Friday, April 4, 2008

Is it ethical to restrict human reproduction for the sake of environmental health


Is it ethical to restrict human reproduction for the sake of environmental health?
I'm interested in Religious, human rights and ethical perspectives. Put your self in the same situation as Chinese families are in, with the one child policy, but this time for you it's for the health of the environment. Sustainability of natural resources and waste issues.
Other - Environment - 12 Answers
 


Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
No it isn't. Where would all this stop?
2 :
there is 350 million dollars in obamas "stimulus" plan to pay for abortions. when asked about this speaker of the house nancy pelosi said fewer people would stimulate the economy.what a great government.
3 :
quite clearly, we will come to that. we're not there yet, either by #s, or ethics. but we will -- it's only a matter of time. that is, assuming that a war doesn't do the job for us.
4 :
My thoughts are that to save this planet.....we are going to have to restrict the number of children each family can have. Go on to the US census site and watch the population counter and then you tell me how long our planet will support this growth......
5 :
I don't mind a little encouragement via education, access to birth control, or cutting programs that encourage or reinforce family size. I may even support some kick back programs aimed at reducing birth rates. I'm not in favor of any means of actual force to control birth rates (whether aimed at raising or lowering) though.
6 :
I 100% think we should limit the amount of children people are allowed to have. I wouldn't even go as far as to only have one kid, I think two would be just fine. Then you are maintaining the population (with a gentle decline due to death rate) and you don't end up with the "little Princes" issues of the Chinese policy. I can't think of one issue that we face today that would not be improved by fewer people on this earth, period. Education, crime, the environment, everything. Whenever I see people having eight or nine kids, I cringe inwardly and always have to stop myself from asking who is going to pay for their college education (well, not usually anyone, which is a shame). This is all very unrealistic, since the people who have the multiple children don't really see it from a resources perspective. It is quality, not quantity we need in our kids. The resources we have are limited. Place more resources with fewer kids and everyone wins.
7 :
Is breeding a right? Look at it from the child's perspective. Doesn't a new born child have rights? Doesn't a child deserve to be born to a responsible family who has sense enough to prepare financially beforehand? If breeding is a right then how can we morally get our pets fixed?
8 :
In the study of population dynamics there are three recognised factor that control population size Famine Disease Predation (War and crime are the human equivalents) If we do not find some equitable political solution to the exponential rise in the human population, these natural factor will do it for us.
9 :
Unfortunately, our economy is predicated on a growing population to pay for things such as social security (and all the pet projects that congress raids the social security fund to pay for). Thus, we have a tax structure that makes it easier to take advantage of the rest of the people by having large families. If income tax stopped giving exemptions for children when the couple reached two (by natural childbirth, as opposed to adoption), it could get more orphans adopted and dissuade people from breeding indiscriminately. When you already have six children and get eight more implanted, I see this as an egregious abuse of the system.
10 :
I think the question should be is it ethical not to? Is it right to bring 10 kids into a world of poverty and pain with no hope for anything ever getting better, or should one kid be brought into the world with comforts, health and a good life ahead of them?
11 :
Unfortunately it is the concerned humans who are willing to have smaller families, and the people who do not care a twit about the environment are the ones who over populate with lots of kids. Go figure.
12 :
yes this is right. When you go there and see how economy is crumbling because of it. You will see the reason.




Read more discussions :