Why Can't A Duck Sign A Contract? The Failure Of Intellectual Property To Protect The Environment

Issues in Human Relations and Environmental Philosophy:94-106 (2014)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

“Human relations and the relations to other beings in our age.” There are three components to this theme: human-to-human relationships, human-to-other being relationships, and the temporal focus of our age. In the following, I will both discuss theoretical concerns among these components as well as present case studies to illustrate my points. In asking why a duck cannot sign a contract, I hope to demonstrate inherent insufficiencies in relations between humans and other beings in our age when they are characterized as legal property relations. Among the possible forms that could relate humans to other humans and other beings, global society often resorts to law. Relationships in other, more culturally-dependent arenas, are more difficult to navigate when the cultures speak different languages, follow different religions, and build different family structures. Indeed we are not globalized in these cultural areas. We are globalized economically. And insofar as law facilitates globalization, the economic norms it uses become the common denominator among the cultures and even the relationship between humans and other beings.

Author's Profile

Kirk W. Junker
University of Cologne

Analytics

Added to PP
2016-08-23

Downloads
157 (#73,083)

6 months
32 (#87,063)

Historical graph of downloads since first upload
This graph includes both downloads from PhilArchive and clicks on external links on PhilPapers.
How can I increase my downloads?