Lifeboat Ethics
Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30
CORE DEFINITION
Opposes the "Spaceship Earth" metaphor (resource sharing), arguing that wealthy nations are like a full lifeboat at sea. If they continually take in the drowning poor out of compassion, the lifeboat will eventually sink, and everyone will die. Advocates limited altruism.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
A harsh resource boundary. In times of extreme resource scarcity (e.g., funding chain breakage), managers must adopt "lifeboat thinking"—to preserve the core vital force, they must decisively cut off support to peripheral parts, otherwise it leads to mutual destruction.
Anchor fast decisions
Garrett Hardin uses the lifeboat metaphor: a full boat cannot rescue more drowning people, otherwise it sinks together. It pushes the finiteness of resources to an extreme allocation dilemma.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifeboat_ethicsverified
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