Save the Earth, save a dollar.(member forum)(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Environmental Performance Track program)

Industrial Engineer, July, 2007 by Peacock, Marcus

PHILOSOPHER MITCHELL SILVER RECENTLY noted a problem with the popular song "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." The song claims of Santa. "He sees you when you're sleeping. He knows when you're awake. He knows if you've been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake!" The last phrase, says Silver, is not logical. To be logically consistent, the last part should indicate something like, "so be good if you want lots of presents." If you were just good for the sake of goodness, the previous references to the omniscient and judgmental Santa would be irrelevant.

The fact is that people do good things because they are compelled and because they think it is right. Both reasons aptly describe how America dramatically improved the quality of our air, water, and land over...