The works of Garrett Hardin on this site

 books
The Ostrich Factor | Living within Limits | Filters Against Folly | Darwin | Ecolacy

by J. Siry, Ph. D.

All of Garrett Hardin's work after his book on Charles Darwin to celebrate the centennial publication of the Origin of Species is revealed in some depth by a complete understanding of his arguments in the article that appeared in Science a decade later entitled the Tragedy of the Commons.

On this site we have both a critical exegesis of that article, and the retort made my his critic, an economist the late, Elinor Ostrom.


Tragedy of the Commons
1968
Questions to complete and submit after re-reading Hardin.

What is a commons?
Literally?


Figuratively?
 
Describe with specific details from Hardin, Ostrom, Emerson, Siry, Van der Ryn, and McHarg, or other authors' selections, clear examples of elements or functions that contribute to a commons:

elements
functions

What is Hardin's obvious point and what three different examples does he use for evidence of that argument?




Explain the class of problems to which the author is referring to by analogy to nuclear weaponry?




Why are the subjects of National Park access and natural selection mentioned in the argument?

Hardin | commons | Tragedy of the Commons | Ecosystem Services | The ultimate example