social values/ecosystem services paul b. thompson w.k. kellogg professor of agricultural, food and...

Social Values/Ecosystem Services

Paul B. ThompsonW.K. Kellogg Professor of Agricultural,

Food and Community Ethics

Michigan State University

Disclaimer

BehaviorReasons

Why do they do that?

…ask them why

…learn their language

…interpret their texts

1. Observe what they do

2. Identify law-like patterns or regularities

3. Form predictive hypotheses

4. Corroborate or disconfirm

BehaviorReasons

Why do they do that?

…ask them why

…learn their language

…interpret their texts

1. Observe what they do

2. Identify law-like patterns or regularities

3. Form predictive hypotheses

4. Corroborate or disconfirm

Rational ChoicePeople behave in

ways that will best achieve pre-given

ends

Behavior

Rational ChoicePeople behave in

ways that will best achieve pre-given

ends

From Biology

Infer them from

behavior

preferences

To behave rationally is to maximally satisfy one’s

Behavior

Rational ChoiceTo behave rationally

is to satisfy one’s preferences

preferences

To behave rationally is to maximally satisfy one’s

Now apply these tools in making public policy

Rational ChoicePolicy should maximally

satisfy preferences of affected parties.

Behavior

Now apply these tools in making public policy

Rational ChoicePolicy should maximally

satisfy preferences of affected parties.

Net social preferences for goods & serves

represents the value of those goods and services

Reasons

…ask them why

…learn their language

…interpret their texts

Values are a function of preferences

derived from observation of behavior.

Behavior

Rational ChoicePolicy should maximally

satisfy preferences of affected parties.

Net social preferences for goods & serves

represents the value of those goods and services

Reasons

…ask them why

…learn their language

…interpret their texts

Values are a function of preferences

derived from observation of behavior.

Values play a key role in the process of

reasoning, and can be inferred from the study

of the artifacts of reasoning.

Reasons

…ask them why

…learn their language

…interpret their texts

Values play a key role in the process of

reasoning, and can be inferred from the study

of the artifacts of reasoning.

Thinking: Talking to oneself

Communication: Talking with others

A conscious, explicit or deliberate process that

occurs in response to a felt need or problem

Communication: Talking with others

Values play a key role in the process of

reasoning, and can be inferred from the study

of the artifacts of reasoning.

Statements in the Optative

Mood

“Would that Jones were here.”

A counterfactual or future condition is asserted as

desirable for the purpose of advancing deliberation

or taking action.

Statements in the Optative

Mood

“Would that Jones were here.”

A counterfactual or future condition is asserted as

desirable for the purpose of advancing deliberation.

Jones’ presence would advance the achievement of a condition sought by parties to the reasoning

process

Jones’ presence is itself the condition that a

communicatiive process had been launched to

achieve.

Instrumental Value

Intrinsic Value

Jones’ presence would advance the achievement of a condition sought by parties to the reasoning

process

Jones’ presence is itself the condition that a

communicatiive process had been launched to

achieve.

Instrumental Value

Intrinsic Value

When Assertions in the Optative Mood Are Contested

Disagreement about the effectiveness, efficiency,

relevance or salience of a stated value to the purpose at hand.

Disagreement about the effectiveness, efficiency,

relevance or salience of a stated value to the purpose at hand.

Jones’ presence would advance the achievement of a condition sought by parties to the reasoning

process

Jones’ presence is itself the condition that a

communicatiive process had been launched to

achieve.

Instrumental Value

Intrinsic Value

When Assertions in the Optative Mood Are Contested

Disagreement about the effectiveness, efficiency,

relevance or salience of a stated value to the purpose at hand.

That is, a reason has been presented, and reasoning

continues

Disagreement shows that one is simply not a member of the

discourse community. One “doesn’t speak the

language”.

Constitutive ValueValues that function to mark and sometimes

protect the borders of a discourse community or

culture..

Ends-in-view: Aims or goals (including goods & services) that serve some

further or more comprehensive end.

Jones’ presence is itself the condition that a

communicatiive process had been launched to

achieve.

Instrumental Value

Intrinsic Value

What About Ecosystem Services?

The value of an ecosystm service is a function of the reasons for thinking that the service will

promote some other comprehensive end.

Constitutive ValueValues that function to mark and sometimes

protect the borders of a discourse community or

culture..

Rational ChoicePolicy should maximally

satisfy preferences of affected parties.

Behavior

Rational ChoicePolicy should maximally

satisfy preferences of affected parties.

Net social preferences for goods & serves

represents the value of those goods and services

Reasons

…ask them why

…learn their language

…interpret their textsThe value of an ecosystm service

is a function of the reasons for thinking that the service will

promote some other comprehensive end.

Ends-in-view: Aims or goals (including goods & services) that serve some

further or more comprehensive end.

Jones’ presence is itself the condition that a

communicatiive process had been launched to

achieve.

Instrumental Value

Intrinsic Value

What About Ecosystem Services?

The value of an ecosystm service is a function of the reasons for thinking that the service will

promote some other comprehensive end.

Preservation of habitat for humans and other creatures is a

constitutive value for some communities.

Constitutive ValueValues that function to mark and sometimes

protect the borders of a discourse community or

culture..

Behavior

Rational ChoicePolicy should maximally

satisfy preferences of affected parties.

Net social preferences for goods & serves

represents the value of those goods and services

Reasons

…ask them why

…learn their language

…interpret their textsPreservation of habitat for

humans and other creatures is a constitutive value for some

communities.

The potential range of constitutive alues is as diverse as the range of

communities.

This may be a constitutive value for some scientific

communities

Behavior

Rational ChoicePolicy should maximally

satisfy preferences of affected parties.

Reasons

…ask them why

…learn their language

…interpret their texts

The potential range of constitutive alues is as diverse as the range of

communities.

This may be a constitutive value for some scientific

communities

Interaction, communication and conflict between and among discourse communities each defined and delimited by constitutive values is a noteworthy kind of social problem.

Especially when community boundaries are drawn or reinforced along ethnic, racial, religious or gender lines.

BehaviorReasons

…ask them why

…learn their language

…interpret their texts

The potential range of constitutive alues is as diverse as the range of

communities.

Tensions between and among

communities with distinct constitutive

values.

In the age of sustainability, these problems and felt needs are often named under the heading of social justice.

BehaviorReasons

…ask them why

…learn their language

…interpret their texts

The potential range of constitutive alues is as diverse as the range of

communities.

Tensions between and among

communities with distinct constitutive

values.

In the age of sustainability, these problems and felt needs are often named under the heading of social justice. Or when environmental goods are at stake, environmental justice.

Distributive JusticeFair distribution of burdens and

benefits.

Participatory JusticeOpportunity to have voice in

decisions affecting one’s group.

Restorative JusticeRecognition of identity and retribution for past harms.

BehaviorReasons

…ask them why

…learn their language

…interpret their texts

The potential range of constitutive alues is as diverse as the range of

communities.

Tensions between and among

communities with distinct constitutive

values.

Given that incompatible constitutive values and entrenched power inequality may lie at the bottom

of the these problems in allocating ecosystem services, what should we do?

We Reason We Fight

BehaviorReasons

…ask them why

…learn their language

…interpret their texts

The potential range of constitutive alues is as diverse as the range of

communities.

Tensions between and among

communities with distinct constitutive

values.

Given that incompatible constitutive values and entrenched power inequality may lie at the bottom

of the these problems in allocating ecosystem services, what should we do?

We Reason We FightInsisting on a prevailing

constitutive value (such as rational choice) is an

exercise of power.

BehaviorReasons

…ask them why

…learn their languageThe potential range of constitutive alues is as diverse as the range of

communities.

Tensions between and among

communities with distinct constitutive

values.

Given that incompatible constitutive values and entrenched power inequality may lie at the bottom

of the these problems in allocating ecosystem services, what should we do?

We ReasonImplies a sustained effort to build a shared vocabulary.

We FightInsisting on a prevailing

constitutive value (such as ratioinal choice) is an

exercise of power.

Thank-you.

Paul B. Thompsonthomp649@msu.edu