[LEPS-L:7944] Ethical obligations toward insect pests

[Michael Gochfeld]

Michael L. Draney of the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory published a 
paper "Ethical Obligations Toward Insect Pests" in the journal ETHICS 
AND THE ENVIRONMENT  volume 2, pages 5-23 (1997). 

To briefly summarize what I think is his point: It is individual insects 
which are pests and thatit is impossible to take into account their 
individuality when planning a control. He writes: "I argue that an 
individual organism's rights cannot be taken into account in planning 
insect control, because of the practical impossiblity ofgranting it 
anything but infinitesimal moral significance."

 He concludes his abstract: "I propose that species are unique 
individual entitites (as opposed to abstract classes of organisms) and 
that our ethical obligations to insect pests lie in acknowledging the 
right of these species to continued, if controlled, existence. At this 
level, they must receive moral consideration in any actions taken."

He does take into account the role of insect populations in the grand 
ecological scheme. 

Michael Gochfeld

 
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