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Summary Bio ethics: Biodiversity
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Clear summary of the solved exam questions about the “Biodiversity” chapter. Different points of view explained.
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BIO ETHICS: CHAPTER 4:BIODIVERSITY
AIMS
QUESTION 1: THE CANADIAN GOOSE, ONCE INTRODUCED TO OUR REGIONS FROM
NORTH AMERICA AS AN ORNAMENTAL BIRD, HAS REPRODUCED IN MASSE IN FLANDERS
OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS. DUE TO THEIR GRAZING BEHAVIOR, THESE ANIMALS CAUSE
DAMAGE TO CROPS AND GRASSLANDS IN AGRICULTURAL, RECREATIONAL AND NATURAL
AREAS. WITH THEIR DROPPINGS THEY POLLUTE SUNBATHING AREAS, GOLF COURSES,
SWIMMING WATERS AND PONDS. IN WINTER, THE ANIMALS COMPETE WITH
WINTERING GEESE, SUCH AS THE REED GOOSE. 100S OF CANADIAN GEESE ARE NOW
CAUGHT & KILLED EVERY YEAR TO CONTROL THE POPULATION. DO YOU THINK THIS IS
THE RIGHT THING TO DO? GIVE ETHICAL ARGUMENTS FOR & AGAINST THIS APPROACH.
- Introduction of the Canadian goose = mainly for aesthetic value of this species… added in
Britain in a local park from here it spread all across EU
- The spread of the goose has some disadvantages for our own biodiversity, including
destruction of our crops, pollution of ponds and competition of indigenous species, which are
also important to maintain the biodiversity!
- To answer the question ‘can we kill them to control the population’ we have to judge the
species & their effect on biodiversity
DESCRIPTIVE JUDGEMENT
- Descriptive judgement concludes that the biodiversity in Flanders is suffering under the
presence of the non-indigenous goose.
o based on the observations of the pollution of the ponds & the suffering of the
reed goose eg because of competition
Now we can include ethical values to establish a foundation for moral consideration of the
non-human, animal entities (the goose)
Giving a value can be done by polarization : saying that his killing approach is unethical based
on the appreciation of this species in our regions based on their aesthetic value, would not
be sufficient! opposing this approach (killing) based on aesthetics = weak argument
o Eg: if cats were the cause of biodiversity problems, they kill birds and so on, then we
would not kill them to protect the biodiversity cats have a high value based on the
aesthetic argument (loved by many people)!
VALUE JUDGEMENT
- Then an additional 2 options can be introduced
1. The use value
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