wise use of mires and peatlands - Peatland Ecology Research Group

VALUES AND CONFLICTS: WHERE DIFFERENT VALUES MEET103In the Universal Declaration on HumanRights, the global community has identifiedthe needs that human beings can rightfullyclaim (Table 4/3). These claims are defined asan individual’s rights and are “boundaryconditions” that may not be violated, even ifthat would result in a greater good of the samecategory for others 15 . The UniversalDeclaration implies that needs have to besatisfied. Permissible 16 wants and valuesystems do not have to be actively satisfiedor supported, but their pursuit may not behindered or violated 17 .As between needs and wants, the satisfactionof needs prevails over that of wants 18 .4.3 DIFFERENT TYPES OFCONFLICTSConflicts can be subdivided into conflictsdealing with “facts” (true / not true), andconflicts dealing with “choices” (agree / notagree) (Table 4/1). Conflicts of the first kindare relatively easy to solve. Conflicts of thesecond kind are more complicated becausethey are based on different weightings whichdifferent persons place on particular valuesand they concern options for actions that aremutually exclusive.4.4 CONFLICTS DEALINGWITH FACTSConflicts arising from differentunderstanding are common, but also thesimplest to solve: their solution only requireseffective communication 23 and sufficientinformation exchange to create a commonbase of knowledge. It will then become clearthat there is no real conflict, rather there ismisunderstanding and talking at crosspurposes24 .Conflicts arising from different judgementsof mean-end relationships (the means mostsuited to achieving a particular end) shouldtake into account the principles of rationalchoice (Table 4/2). They can in principle alsobe solved factually. Which alternative is tobe chosen is again a matter of optimalinformation exchange and best professionaljudgement. The correctness of the decisioncan be tested. When more than one “means”are tested, a quantitative solution can bereached: “this means is better than that”.When only one alternative is tested, aqualitative answer can be given: “this meansdoes / does not achieve the aim”.4.5 CONFLICTS DEALING WITHPREFERENCESIn this subsection the relationships betweendifferent preferences are surveyed (Table4/1). Preferences pertain to things that canbe replaced by something else 26 . Conflictsbetween preferences relate to balancing whatone party gains against what the other loses.A central question therefore is: is there a wayto rank or value different preferences, do sometypes of wants prevail over others?Both ethics and economics try to address thisquestion by reducing the complexitiesconcerning value to a single measure, forThe principle of effective means: That alternative should be adopted whichachieves the end in the best way.The principle of the greater Preference should be given to the alternativelikelihood:which is more likely to give the desired outcome.The principle of inclusiveness: Preference should be given to the alternativewhich achieves all of the direct aims and one ormore further aims in addition.Table 4/2: The principles of rational choice 25 .