9781666901368

1666901369

9781666901375

1666901377

What if wilderness is bad for wildlife? This question motivates the philosophical investigation in Wilderness, Morality, and Value. Environmentalists aim to protect wilderness, and for good reasons, but wilderness entails unremittent, incalculable suffering for its non-human habitants. Given that it will become increasingly possible to augment nature in ways that ameliorates some of this suffering, the morality of wilderness preservation is itself in question. Joshua S. Duclos argues that the technological and ethical reality of the Anthropocene warrants a fundamental reassessment of the value of wilderness. After exposing the moral ambiguity of wilderness preservation, he explores the value of wilderness itself by engaging with anthropocentricism and nonanthropocentrism; sentientism, biocentrism, and ecocentrism; and instrumental value and intrinsic value. Duclos argues that the value of wilderness is a narrow form of anthropocentric intrinsic value, one with a religio-spiritual dimension. By integrating scholarship from bioethics on the norms of engineering human nature with debates in environmental ethics concerning the prospect of engineering non-human nature, Wilderness, Morality, and Value sets the stage for wilderness ethics--or wilderness faith--in the Anthropocene. -- Provided by publisher.

"The pursuit of wilderness preservation is at odds with a commitment to animal welfare. Wilderness, Morality, and Value charts a way forward by clarifying the meaning of wilderness, investigating the fundamental value of wilderness itself, and exploring the implications of a religio-spiritual valuation of wilderness"-- Provided by publisher.

Acknowledgements - Introduction

Chapter One : Uncomplicating the Idea of Wilderness

Chapter Two : The Moral Ambiguity of Wilderness Preservation

Chapter Three : Intrinsic Value and Nonanthropocentrism

Chapter Four : Value and Wilderness qua Wilderness

Chapter Five : To Be or Not to Be Prometheus

Bibliography

Nature conservation > Moral and ethical aspects.

Wildlife conservation > Moral and ethical aspects.

Animal welfare > Moral and ethical aspects.

Wilderness areas > Management.

Animal welfare > Moral and ethical aspects.

Nature conservation > Moral and ethical aspects.

Wilderness areas > Management.

Wildlife conservation > Moral and ethical aspects.