I have several questions about objectivism and the environment. It would seem from the admittedly somewhat limited literature I have read regarding objectivism and the environment that objectivists regard environmentalism as nonrational and "antiman". Do objectivists lump all environmentalist postitions in the same boat? What do objectivists say should be done if a capitalist system results in poor environmental conditions for people? As an example of the above, say a landowner pollutes a river that runs through his land to the point where it kills people downstream? Is he responsible, or is that his right as a property owner?
To summarize my postition, I agree with objectivists that there are way to many Luddite type environmentalist extremists out there, and I see evidence that some are using environmentalism as a tool to promote an anti-technological agenda. However, I see no evidence that the objectivist position that I read about in the literature has any mechanisms or even sees the need for mechanisms to address environmental externalities in capitalism. Is this the case? If you could direct me to the appropriate literature I will read it.
This essay by Michael S. Berliner is a fairly representative sample of the things I have read.
Against Environmentalism
Thanks for any assistance.
