Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Agricultural technology, wealth, and responsibility

  • Published:
Journal of agricultural ethics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Responsibility as a dual to human rights is presented as a moral alternative to extended, complex systems of animal and ecological rights. This simple idea of responsibility is then applied to four levels of agricultural technology: animal (nature) rights, conservation, organization of agriculture, and people versus planet relationships. The stewardship argument is freed from at least some of the complications of animal rights and ecology, but leaves responsibility with humans to do the right thing.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adams, H. 1931.The Education of Henry Adams. New York: The Modern Library.

    Google Scholar 

  • Batie, S.S. 1989.Sustainable Development: Challenges to the Profession of Agricultural Economics. Presidential Address, American Agricultural Economics Asociation, Baton Rouge, July 31.

  • Brooks, N., and D. Reimund. 1989.Where Do Farm Household Earn Their Incomes? AIB No. 560. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.

  • Burkhardt, J. 1988. Biotechnology, Ethics and the Structure of Agriculture.Agriculture and Human Values 5(3): 53–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Callicott, J.B. 1989.In Defense of the Land Ethic. New York: SUNY Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Castle, E. 1989 Cost Relationships in Agriculture.American Journal of Agricultural Economics 71(3): 574–582.

    Google Scholar 

  • Comstock, G., ed. 1987.Is There a Moral Obligation to Save the Family Farm? Ames: Iowa State University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dahlberg, K. 1986.Directions for Agriculture and Agricultural Research. Totowa: Rowan and Allenheld.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, C. 1985. Productivity and Structure in U.S. Agriculture.Agricultural Economics Research 37(3): 1–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elwood, W.A. 1981. The Humanities Examine Land Use: Literature, a Prologue to an Ethic. InToward a New Land Use Ethic. Warrenton: Piedmont Environmental Council.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamlin, A.P. 1989. Rights, Indirect Utilitarianism, and Contractarianism.Economics and Philosophy 5(2): 167–187.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrington, D., G. Schluter, and P. O'Brien. 1986.Agriculture's Links to the National Economy: Income and Employment. AIB No. 504. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.

  • Heady, E. 1984. Purposes and Uses of Economics of Size Studies. InEconomies of Size Studies: Papers from a Purdue University Workshop August, 1983. Ames: Iowa State University, pp. 22–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hohfeld, W. 1923.Fundamental Legal Conceptions. New Haven: Yale University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Honderich, T. 1988.A Theory of Determinism: The Mind, Neuroscience and Life Hopes. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huggett, F. 1975.The Land Question and European Society Since 1650. London: Thames and Hudson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hurnick, F., and H. Lehman. 1989. Ethics and Farm Animal Welfare.Journal of Agricultural Ethics. 1(4): 305–318.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jefferson, T. 1944a. Letters to James Madison, October 28, 1785. InThe Life and Selected Writings of Jefferson, edited by A. Koch and W. Peden, pp. 388–390. New York: The Modern Library.

    Google Scholar 

  • —— 1944b. Letters to John Jay, August 23, 1785. InThe Life and Selected Writings of Jefferson, edited by A. Koch and W. Peden, pp. 377–378. New York: The Modern Library.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jonas, H. 1984.The Imperative of Responsibility: In Search of an Ethics for the Technological Age. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jovanovic, B., and S. Lach. 1989. Entry, Exit, and Diffusion with Learning by Doing.American Economic Review 79(4): 690–699.

    Google Scholar 

  • Knudson, M., and M. Anderson. 1989. Technology: Are We Running Out of Steam? InWorld Agriculture: Situation and Outlook Report, pp. 28–34. WAS-55. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.

  • Knudson, M., and B. Larson. 1989. A Framework for Examining Technical Change.Journal of Agricultural Economics Research 41(4): 21–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuchler, F., and J. McClelland. 1989.Issues Raised by New Agricultural Technologies: Livestock Growth Hormones. AER No. 608. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.

  • Kuchler, F., and S. Offutt. 1986. Review of OTA Technology, Public Policy and the Changing Structure of American Agriculture.American Journal of Agricultural Economics 68(3): 764–766.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lasswell, H., and A. Kaplan. 1952.Power and Society: A Framework for Political Inquiry. New Haven: Yale University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lehman, H. 1988. On the Moral Acceptability of Killing Animals.Journal of Agricultural Ethics 1(2): 155–162.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leopold, A. 1987.Sand County Almanac [1948]. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowdermilk, W.C. 1953.Conquest of the Land Through Seven Thousand Years. AIB No. 99. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service.

  • Miller, T., G. Rodewald, and R. McElroy. 1981.Economies of Size in U.S. Field Crop Farming. AER No. 472. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economics and Statistics Service.

  • Molnar, J.J., and H. Kinnucan, eds. 1989.Biotechnology and the New Agricultural Revolution. Boulder: Westview Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Randall, A. 1987. Property Institutions and Economic Behavior.Journal of Economic Issues 12(1): 1–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen, W.D. 1982. The Mechanization of Agriculture.Scientific American 247(3): 77–89.

    Google Scholar 

  • Regan, T. 1982. Ethical Vegetarianism and Commercial Animal Farming: An Irresistible Force Meets a Moveable Object. InAgriculture, Change, and Human Values, edited by R. Haynes and R. Lanier, pp. 687–706. Gainesville: University of Florida, Agriculture and Humanities Program.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruttan, V. 1988. Scale, Size, Technology and Structure: A Personal Perspective. InDeterminants of Farm Size and Structure, edited by L. Robinson, pp. 49–64. Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station Article No. 12899.

  • Saponitz, S.F. 1987.Morals, Reason, and Animals. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shrader-Frechette, K. 1988. Agriculture, Ethics, and Restrictions on Property Rights.Journal of Agricultural Ethics 1(1): 21–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, P.W. 1986.Respect for Nature. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Teigen, L.D. 1988.Agricultural Policy, Technology Adoption, and Farm Structure. Staff Report No. AGES880810. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.

  • Terrell, J.U. 1971.American Indian Almanac. New York: World Publishing Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, P. 1988. Ethical Dilemmas in Agriculture: The Need For Recognition and Resolution.Agriculture and Human Values 5(4): 4–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Toynbee, A. 1976.Mankind and Mother Earth. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Urban, F. 1989. Agricultural Resources Availability.World Agriculture: Situation and Outlook Report, pp. 22–27. WAS-55. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.

  • U.S. Bureau of Census. 1989.1987 Census of Agriculture, Vol. 1, Part 51. AC87-A-51. U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census.

  • U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment (OTA). 1986.Technology, Public Policy, and the Changing Structure of U.S. Agriculture. OTA-5-285. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Veblen, T. 1958. The Instinct of Workmanship. InThe Portable Veblen, edited by M. Lerner, pp. 306–323. New York: Viking Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wojcik, J. 1989.The Arguments of Agriculture. West Lafayette: Purdue University Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, 1301 New York Avenue NW, 20005-4788, Washington, D.C.

    Gene Wunderlich

Authors
  1. Gene Wunderlich
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

The views expressed are the author's and do not necessarily represent policies or views of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wunderlich, G. Agricultural technology, wealth, and responsibility. Journal of Agricultural Ethics 3, 21–35 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02014478

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02014478

Keywords

Search

Navigation