| 3. Water is essential for life |
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Life began and developed in
the water millions of years ago.
Three quarters of the Earth surface is covered by water.
Water is essential for all living organisms. All living
organisms contain a large quantity of water, which in
human beings is between 65% and 75%. So, the loss of water,
dehydration, if severe enough, in living beings and on
the earth means death.
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| Distinguishing between causes and
reasons. In ethical inquiry it is very important
to distinguish between explanation, through causes,
and justification, through reasons. One way to see
the difference is to restrict causes to the natural
events that take place without deliberate human
intervention. On the other hand, when we speak of
reasons we mean whatever moves someone to do or
say something. Therefore, a reason may be an aim,
an intention or a principle. |
| Consider the following judgements
and think, in relation to the subject of the action,
if they refer to CAUSES or REASONS: |
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CAUSE |
REASON |
| 1. |
We save water because
it is not infinite. |
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| 2. |
When water is scarce
that produces drought. |
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| 3. |
Polluted water
provokes deadly illnesses. |
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| 4. |
Some governments
allow factories to pollute if they pay a fine. |
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| 5. |
If we don't want
to pollute water, we shouldn't dirty it. |
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| 6. |
The government
has built a sewage treatment plant to clean
dirty water. |
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| 7. |
The waste from
factories, fertilisers and insecticides from
agriculture and, domestic wastewater dirties
rivers and underground water. |
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| Find out how
we can work together to preserve the quality of water. |
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| Reading. Story: The
Miracle |
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| © Grup IREF 2003, with the support of the European Commission, DG XXII (Socrates/Comenius 3.2) |
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