Philosophy Environmental Ethics Questions
The tragedy of the commons in environmental ethics refers to a situation where a shared resource, such as a common grazing land or a fishery, is overexploited or degraded due to the self-interest and short-term thinking of individuals. In this scenario, each individual acts in their own best interest, maximizing their personal gain from the resource without considering the long-term consequences for the collective. As a result, the resource becomes depleted or damaged, leading to negative outcomes for everyone involved. This concept highlights the need for collective action, cooperation, and sustainable management of shared resources to avoid the tragedy of the commons.