There is a number of science and fiction works on global warming covering this issue from different angles. The philosophical work of the American professor of ethical sciences Sinnott-Armstrong approaches the phenomenon of global warming in terms of individual and collective responsibility. The author is convinced that global warming exists and that it has the potential to become a significant problem (Sinnott-Armstrong, 2005). As if stirring up readers’ interest, Sinnott-Armstrong, in the first section of his work, outlines the biological aspect of warming and, throughout the following pages, makes little reference to it. The main question that the professor addresses is determining the moral responsibility of the individual for their contribution to global warming.
“It is not my fault: global warming and individual moral obligations” consists of several chapters designed to gradually bring the reader to the main idea of the author. It is worth considering that the article is constructed in the form of an interview, where the correspondent and the respondents are the same people. In the article, there are fifteen different views on human moral behavior. For each of the rules and principles, Sinnott-Armstrong gives his own opinion, which is supported by examples. It should be noted that while the author agrees with some principles (“your actions should not harm people”), he refutes others.
The professor’s research work is rich in illustrative examples that allow the reader to perceive the author’s thoughts. With examples of a Sunday trip or cyanide pouring into a river followed by human poisoning, Sinnott-Armstrong seeks to demonstrate that the moral responsibility of the individual is insignificant concerning what can be done about global warming (Sinnott-Armstrong, 2005). In other words, the central thesis of the American professor and philosopher is that there is no single person’s responsibility to the global problem.
References
Sinnott-Armstrong, W. (2005). It’s not my fault: global warming and individual moral obligations. Web.