College of the Canyons The Tragedy of the Commons Questions Assignment
Other
Read this passage and answer the questions based on the reading.
Reading is http://science.sciencemag.org/content/162/3859/1243.full
questions are:
1. Please summarize the article and what Hardin is arguing. Be sure to also talk about what is a “commons” or common property resource.
2. What is the reason why Hardin calls open and free access to common property resources (“The Commons”) tragic?
3. What are some examples of the commons or common property resources?
4. Do you think Hardin’s solution to the world’s population problem is realistic? Why or why not?
5. Is Hardin’s argument still valid nearly 50 years after this article was written? Why or why not?
6. Think of an environmental situation that you have knowledge of or have been witness to that can be considered to be a tragedy of the commons? Please describe.
7. Discuss how climate change fits the Tragedy of the Commons Model.
8. Can you draw any other connections between what Hardin talks about in his paper and what you have learned in this class? Please describe.
