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ERIC Number: EJ1293472
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1744-9642
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Be the Village: Exploring the Ethics of Having Children
Chang, David
Ethics and Education, v16 n2 p182-195 2021
The rapid increase in human population is one of the underlying factors driving the ecological crisis. Despite efforts on the part of educators to raise awareness of environmental issues, the ecological impact of a burgeoning population -- and the ethical implications of having children -- remains an unbroachable topic. Nevertheless, the increase in human numbers is central to questions of sustainability: How can a species expect to survive in a finite terrestrial environment without limits to its population? Since most of the world's ecological impact can be traced to capitalist-industrial- consumer societies in over-developed nations, the middle and upper classes in rich countries must weigh the ecological consequences of their family-planning decisions. In this paper, I argue that educational programs that are concerned with environmental ethics should have students examine the assumptions and implications of having children. I consider the risks associated with this proposal and respond to a series of possible objections. This paper does not advocate coercive measures for population control, but rather enjoins a pedagogical responsibility to view having children as an act with ecological consequences, an act that must be subject to careful examination.
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A