GUIDINGPRINCIPLESFOR

CONSERVATIONBIOLOGY
Principle1:Evolutionisthebasicaxiomthat
unitesallofbiology(Theevolutionaryplay)
Principle2:Theecologicalworldisdynamics
andlargelynonequilibrial(ecologicaltheater)
Principe3:Thehumanpresencemustbe
includedinconservationplanning(humanare
partoftheplay)

POSTULATES
Diversityoforganismisgood
Ecologicalcomplexityisgood
Evolutionisgood
Bioticdiversityhasintrinsicvalue

CONSERVATIONVALUES&ETHICS
FourCategoriesofInstrumentalValue(theworthofan
entityasjudgedbyitsutilityorusefulnesstohumans:
GOODS:food,fuel,fiber,medicine,
SERVICES:pollination,recycling,nitrogenfixation,
homeostaticregulation
INFORMATION:geneticengineering,applied
biotechnology,purescience
PSYCHOSPIRITUAL:aestethicbeauty,religious
awe,scientificknowledge

CONSERVATIONVALUES&ETHICS
Intrinsicvalue(theworthofanentityindependent
fromexternalcircumtancesoritsvalueto
humans;valuejudgedoninherrentqualitiesof
anentityratherthanvaluetootherentities
Issue1:thesortofthingsthatmayposses
intrinsicvalue
Issue2:whetherintrinsicvalueexistsobjectively
orissubjectivelyconferred

CONSERVATIONETHICS
Ethics,biologicallyunderstood,
constituesalimitationonfreedomof
action
Ethics,inotherwords,constrainsself
servingbehaviorindeferencestosome
othergood

ANTHROPOCENTRISM
Inthewesternreligiousandphilosophical
tradition,onlyhumanbeingsareworthyof
ethicalconsideration
Allotherthingsareregardedasmeremeans
tohumanends
ManiscreatedintheimageofGod,is
givendominionovertheearthandallthe
othercreatures

ANTHROPOCENTRISM
ItwasnotonlytheirGodgivenright,buttodominateall
otherformsoflife
Ananthropocentricconservationethicswouldrequire
individuals,corporation,andotherinterestgroupsto
fairlyconsiderhowtheiractiondirectlyaffectingthe
naturalenvironment,indirectlyaffectotherhuman
beings
Loggingtropicalforests,maymakefinehardwoods
availabletowealthyconsumers,profitsfortimber
company,employworkers,andearnforeignexchange
fordebtriddencountry

ANTHROPOCENTRISM
Andunchecked,loggingmayleavefuture
generationsofhumanbeingsadepauperate
world(intergenerationalinequity)
Thus,loggingandotherenvironmentally
destructivetypesofresourcedevelopment
maybejudgedunethical

TheJudeoChristianStewardship
ConservationEthics
GodpronouncedeverythingthatHecreatedtobe
good,duringthefivedaysbeforeHecreated
humanbeing
Godappearstohaveconferredintrinsicvalueon
everykindofcreature,notjustonhumanity.
Ourdominion,thissuggests,shouldbethatofa
responsiblecaretakerastewardratherthatofa
tyrant

TheJudeoChristianStewardship
ConservationEthics
Manalonebeingcreatedintheimageof
God?Thatcouldbetakentoconferunique
responsibilities,notuniqueprevileges,on
humanbeing
AsGodcareforhumanity,sowewhoare
createdintheimageofGodmustcarefor
theearth.

TheJudeoChristianStewardship
ConservationEthics
TheJudeoChristianStewardshipEnvironmental
Ethicsconfersobjectiveintrinsicvalueonnature
intheclearestandmostunambiguousofways:by
divinedecree
Intrinsicvaluedevolvesuponspecies,not
individualspecimen
Humanbeingsmyfreelyuseotherlivingthingsas
longaswedonotendangeredtheirsprcies>do
notcompromisethediversityofthecreation

TraditionalNonWestern
EnvironmentalEthics
Islamteachesthathumanbeingshavea
previlegesplacesinnature,and,going
furtherinthisregardthanJudaismand
Christianity,thatindeed,allothernatural
beingswerecreatedtoservehumanity
AstrongtendencyamongMuslimstotakea
purelyinstrumentalapproachtothehuman
naturerelationship

TraditionalNonWestern
EnvironmentalEthics
He(man)isonlyamanageroftheearthand
notapropietor,abeneficiarynotdisposer
orordainer
Conservationgoalsarewellservedwhen
futurehumanbeingsareaccordedamoral
statusequaltothatofcurrentlyliving

TraditionalNonWestern
EnvironmentalEthics
Hindusbelievethatatthecoreofallphenomena
thereisoneandonlyoneRealtyofBeing.Godisnot
asupremeBeingamongotherlesserandsubordinate
beings,asinJudeoChristianIslamictdadition
Theactualexistenceofdiversity,biologicalor
otherwise,seemstobedenied
Ananalogtothewayecologicalrelationshipunite
organismintoasystemicwhole
Thesufferingofonelifeformisthesufferingofall
others

TraditionalNonWesternEnvironmentalEthics
Jainsbelievethateverylivingthingsisinhabitedby
immaterialsoul,nolesspureandimmortalthanthehuman
soul
Baddeedsinpastlives,however,havecrustedthese
soulsoverwithkarmamatter
Ahimsa(noninjuryofalllivingthings)andasceticism
(eschewingallformofphysicalpleasure)areparallelpath
thatwilleventuallyfreethesoulfromfuturerebirdinthe
materialrealm.
Jainstakegreatcaretoavoidharmingotherformoflife
andtoressistthefleetingpleasureofmaterialconsumption

TraditionalNonWesternEnvironmental
Ethics
InternalBuddhanature,hewasfilledwithasense
ofjoy,andheradiatedlovingkindnesstowardthe
worldaroundhim.
Hesharedhisenlightementwithothersand
formulatedacodeofmoralconductforhis
follower
Believethatalllivingbeingareinthesame
predicament
Regardotherlivingbeingsascompanionsonthe
pathtoBuddhahoodandnirvana

TraditionalNonWesternEnvironmental
Ethics
Taomeanswayorroad,believethatthereis
aTaoofnaturethatisnaturalprocesses
occurinorderlybutalsoinharmonious
fashion
HumanbeingcandiscerntheTao,the
naturalwellorchestratedflowofthinks.
HumancaneitherwelladaptedtotheTao,or
theycanopposeit.