POL 203 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Committee On The Status Of Endangered Wildlife In Canada, Common Good, Black-Footed Ferret
31 Jan 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Science vs. democracy: decision by people we elect vs. decisions made by experts. Modern extinction rates far exceed historical norms. Both large and small scale extinctions are natural (dinosaurs), however, the extinction rates we are seeing today are happening faster, in more crucial species, and humans are causing all of them. Extinction: species are being pushed to the brink of extinction. However, we tend to focus on photogenic species (polar bear, wale), but there are less cuddly species that are being affected. Anytime one species disappears, the entire ecosystem is affected. Biodiversity (every ecosystem needs a certain amount of biodiversity to thrive. Ecosystem health: provide services to humans: clean drinking water, air, the basics. By removing species from the ecosystem, we are threatening the viability of important resources. Instrumental uses of species: cod: seen as inexhaustible, but is no longer available for consumption because of humans. Ethical values: ecocentric (intrinsic, moral, and ethical value) and anthropocentric (care about humans)
