Self-ConscienceApproach to Moral Policy
Institutional
“Populationcontrol is impossible if people embrace self-conscience” isDarwin’s stand (Hardin, 1968). But come to think of it, does Darwinintend to mean that people will not be conscious to an appeal to givebirth? We live in society ruled by many consciences. One wouldbelieve to use a contraceptive is the right choice as long as it isfor the common good to control population. That is correct when youappeal to that conscience, but what about appealing to the conscienceof filling the earth? In Christianity people are appealed toreproduce and they do. For that reason I argue, conscience is notself-eliminating.
Theargument that conscience is self-eliminating in population controldid not consider that, just as you can appeal to the society to usecontraceptive, you can also appeal to it to give birth. The claimthat nature would take revenge on the Homo contracipiensbecause those who desire to givebirth will dominate over them is invalid. Take for instance,the situation in our country the appeal to use birth control sincethe 19th century are we to say that we have not seenpositive results of such? Government appeals to the society throughself-conscience to control a population through birth contraceptives,so also does it appeal to the society to give birth.
Throughthe balance of self-conscience, population control has been achieved. Another fault I find in Darwin and Hardin’s argument is to thinkthat, those who will use birth control will not at a particular pointin life desire to have children (Hardin, 1968). And as a result,homo progenitivus will dominate the population, such accusationis laughable. Take a case example from our society, our grandparentshad five to six siblings, today we have many families with only twoto three siblings. If Darwin claim was true, I would have a fullbasketball team of siblings in our home.
Thus,I conclude that conscience is not self-eliminating, Darwin’s claimis invalid more so in our society. Self-conscience is anadministrative tool that can be used to control a population andother moral policies when properly advocated for in our nation. Andthose who oppose self-conscience as a policy tool do that onsubjective perception.
References
Hardin, G.(1968). The tragedy of the commons. Sciences,162(3859),1243-1248. doi:10.1126/science.162.3859.1243
Montgomery, R. E.(2009). Thevisionary D.H. Lawrence: Beyond philosophy and art.Cambridge, NY: Cambridge University Press.