Quote

A coldly rationalist individualist can deny that he has any obligation to make sacrifices for the future.

Garrett Hardin

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Garrett Hardin
Age: 88 †
Born: 1915
Born: April 21
Died: 2003
Died: September 14
Biologist
Demographer
Ecologist
Statistician
University Teacher
Dallas
Texas
Garrett James Hardin
Garrett J. Hardin
Deny
Sacrifice
Future
Make
Rationalist
Individualist
Coldly
Sacrifices
Obligation

More quotes by Garrett Hardin

Image
(Technology reliability) x (Human reliability) = (System reliability)
Garrett Hardin
Image
The essence of dramatic tragedy is not unhappiness. It resides in the solemnity of the remorseless working of things.
Garrett Hardin
Image
Throughout history, human exploitation of the earth has produced this progression: colonize-destroy-move on.
Garrett Hardin
Image
In an approximate way, the logic of commons has been understood for a long time, perhaps since the discovery of agriculture or the invention of private property in real estate.
Garrett Hardin
Image
Moreover, the practical recommendations deduced from ecological principles threaten the vested interests of commerce it is hardly surprising that the financial and political power created by these investments should be used sometimes to suppress environmental impact studies.
Garrett Hardin
Image
In a finite world this means that the per capita share of the world's goods must steadily decrease.
Garrett Hardin
Image
But it is no good using the tongs of reason to pull the Fundamentalists' chestnuts out of the fire of contradiction. Their real troubles lie elsewhere.
Garrett Hardin
Image
Ecology is the overall science of which economics is a minor speciality.
Garrett Hardin
Image
The optimum population is, then, less than the maximum.
Garrett Hardin
Image
Value is a relative concept: the value of each action is determined by comparing it with other possible actions.
Garrett Hardin
Image
Every plausible policy must be followed by the question 'And then what?'
Garrett Hardin
Image
The god who is reputed to have created fleas to keep dogs from moping over their situation must also have created fundamentalists to keep rationalists from getting flabby. Let us be duly thankful for out blessings.
Garrett Hardin
Image
Of course, a positive growth rate might be taken as evidence that a population is below its optimum.
Garrett Hardin
Image
You can never do merely one thing. The law applies to any action that changes something in a complex system. The point is that an action taken to alleviate a problem will trigger several effects, some of which may offset or even negate the one intended.
Garrett Hardin
Image
The population problem has no technical solution it requires a fundamental extension in morality.
Garrett Hardin
Image
Economists (and others) who are satisfied with nature-free equations develop a dangerous hubris about the potency of our species
Garrett Hardin
Image
Education can counteract the natural tendency to do the wrong thing, but the inexorable succession of generations requires that the basis for this knowledge be constantly refreshed.
Garrett Hardin
Image
We see only what we have names for.
Garrett Hardin
Image
Ruin is the destination toward which all men rush, each pursuing his own best interest in a society that believes in the freedom of the commons.
Garrett Hardin
Image
In a competitive world of limited resources, total freedom of individual action is intolerable
Garrett Hardin