Strengths Of The Lifeboat Ethics Argumentative Essay Examples

Essay on Hardin's Lifeboat Ethics

Introduction
The lifeboat ethics was a metaphor that was created by Garret Hardin. Hardin writes a hauntingly convincing piece arguing for the duty of affluent nations, not to help the poor of the world. Lifeboat ethics by Hardin has caused many controversy, thus has sparked rage or admiration within the readers. There are many strengths and weaknesses of the arguments that he makes. The lifeboat ethics looks at the policies of the government such as food banks, immigration, and foreign aids. In looking at the metaphor, it is clear that he uses psychological egoism to make his points. Psychological egoism is described to be the opinions that people have that have been brought on by self-interests even when doing something good (Hardin). The meaning of this statement is that people do good deeds but expect to get something in return. It is quite clear that he believes that people should be taught how to work for themselves instead of been given free foods and money. This information is why he disapproved the policies made by governments about helping the needy by giving them free food and money. The ethics of the metaphors is that whether the hundreds of people in the water should be taken to the boat.

It is quite clear that Hardin was worried about the population of the nations. This is the reason why he used the lifeboat metaphor to discuss this matter. He was trying to paint the picture of what is to come in the future. The lifeboats were used to describe countries and the increasing population in it. According to Hardin, he believed that the people from the lifeboats that were crowded were always trying to seek help from the better lifeboats. In looking at the population of human beings, it seems to be exceeding the limited space on land (Callahan). In the lifeboat, there seemed to be fifty people in the lifeboat and had open space for ten more people. There are many people in the water who were seeking aid from the lifeboat. In looking at the population of people in the world, we can clearly see that he was to be worried about the population of the people in the world.
Harding is also trying to explain that not all the people can be saved. In looking at the metaphor, it shows that fifty people in the lifeboat symbolize fifty rich countries. The people who are in the waters symbolize the poor nations. He does not believe in helping the needy with money or food. He, however, encourages the policies that teach people on how to enrich themselves. He uses tough love in order for people to learn that charity will not help them. It is a moral issue when people help one another but the truth is helping people without teaching them on how o get for themselves will not help anyone (Hardin).
It is a fact that when rich countries continue to generate a lot of money to the poor then they will end up losing a lot of resources. In looking at the lifeboat situation, there are hundreds of people in the water who are in need of help. The spaces left in the boat are only for ten people. If they do decide to help them, then they will end up drowning because of the lack of space. This fact is the same thing as the countries (Hardin). If the rich countries continue helping the poor people who are many, then they will end up not having enough resources for themselves thus might end up being poor. This should be taken into account by all the nations. It is best for people to be taught and encouraged to do their own thing in order for them to succeed in life. This will reduce the number of poor countries in the world. However, when people are given free meals and money, then they will not be able to take care of themselves.
Psychological egoism can be stated to be the main reason why there are policies to help the poor nations. The rich nations feel that it is their responsibility to take care of the poor nations. There are many benefits for the rich nations when they help the poor nations. They expect the poor nations to be loyal to them. This means that they should be able to count on them whenever there is a need. The people who help will always feel that they are superior to the others. This fact will cause them to feel that whatever they say or do is perfect.

Weaknesses of the lifeboat ethics

There are many weaknesses that can be seen from the arguments made by Hardin in the lifeboat ethics. Hardin is teaching people to be selfish. The people in the lifeboats as indicated shows that they are rich people. The number of the rich people seems to be fewer when compared to the poor (Hardin). This reason shows how poor people in the world are many as compared to the rich. This fact means that the number of the poor people will increase with time as compared to the poor. The increase will make it hard for the resources of the nations to sustain all of them. That is why they seek help from the rich. Harding does not believe in helping the poor. He wants the poor to work and help themselves. The ethical dilemma, in this case, will come from the selfishness that can be seen from Hardin. Hardin’s has proven that the money from the rich should stay for the rich. There are many people in the world who are in need of help, and they are unable to help themselves. Isn’t it morally wrong to let a person who is poor and disabled to starve to death while you have abundant food stored away?
According to religion and society, it is morally right to help those in need. Hardin, however, does not seem to have this values. He does not believe in helping the needy in the world. This fact indicates that he is a rich man and, therefore, he does not know how the poor people live their lives (Callahan). The rich nations have formulated policies, which would cause them to help the poor nations through food banks and foreign aid.
Hardin used the lifeboat survival issue to justify not helping others. In the metaphor, he uses a boat that should contain a maximum of 60 people. In the waters, there are hundreds of people in the water that need to enter the boat (Hardin). In the boat there are fifty people; therefore, only ten are required. This fact will cause the people in the lifeboat to abandon those in the waters in order for them to survive. This analogy is justifiable but in the real world, many people require to be helped.
Hardin is also talking about immigration. There are many people from all over the world who have immigrated to the United States. This deed has not gone well with many rich Americans. This can also be seen by Hardin (Callahan). The people who are in the water trying to enter the lifeboat can be seen to be the immigrants. He believes that there are enough people in the country and; therefore, it does need to have more people entering it. In looking at the world, there are so many things that will cause people to be displaced and, therefore, they would need the help of other nations. This opinion is the main reason why there are many nations who accept immigrants in their nations. Harding, in this case, is perceived to be heartless.
The notion of Hardin will bring about the increase of the gap between the rich and the poor. When the poor do not get any help from the rich, then it is possible that they will continue to be poorer. The rich will also continue to make more riches, and thus there will be abundant resources for them to make more. The gap is what brings about hatred between the rich states and the poor states. When the poor are not helped, they develop grudges, in which they might start a war with the rich nations (Callahan).
In conclusion, there are many weaknesses and strengths from the lifeboat ethics written by Hardin. Some of the weaknesses are that it shows how the rich people in rich nations are selfish. Hardin did not believe in helping the poor and compared it with a lifeboat surrounded by people in the water. An example of a strength from the argument that Hardin made was that people need to look after themselves and stop wanting charities.

Work cited

Callahan, Daniel. Doing Well by Doing Good: Garrett Hardin's "Lifeboat Ethic". The Hastings Center (2007): 1-4
Hardin, Garrett. Lifeboat Ethics: the Case Against Helping the Poor. Psychology Today (2006).