Essay on Should Polluters Pay For Polluting - 1998 Words

Thesis: If polluters are harming the environment, the pollution is a moral danger to the ecosystem and should be resolved. If polluters can pay economic compensation for their disruption of the environment, this will not necessarily resolve the problems of the environment. Three authors in this essay offer different perspectives on the issue of making polluters pay, their explicit views of this subject are not observably mentioned in their work, just different positions for and against the idea. As the authors give different reasons for why or why not polluters should pay, they all mention a moral issue is attached to this discussion. I plan to analyze the authors’ readings and interpret their writings for purposes of this essay. From a†¦show more content†¦The true distinction between preferences has created a conflict that confronts what is wanted as an individual with what is believed as a citizen. The conflict therein is obviously one of ethical standards. In relation to the allocation and distribution of resources, Sagoff implies two terms that we can apply to this essay, on the subject of green taxes that may lend a view on the subject. Two theoretical concepts called the â€Å"Economic Man† and â€Å"Money and Meaning† are valuable pieces of information when applied to the concept of green taxes. Picture a normal person who exchanges goods with other people who similarly buy and sell goods. This person is buying goods for low prices and selling high for marginal profit. The only constraints for this person are market prices and self-interest in accumulating potential income. This person is called the â€Å"Economic Man,† although the concept is applicable to all people as previously described. From this perspective, the outlook on making polluters pay could very well resemble an economic rationalists point of view. With this point being made, it appears as though â€Å"Money and Meaning† can be analyzed completely opposite. 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