Why Preserve Natural Variety?

"[Bryan Norton] seeks to offer directions, to stimulate readers to ask the right questions, and to clarify some of the fuzzy thinking that pervades sections of the conservation movement. I found this a helpful and well-structured book written with a clarity of style and logic not always found in philosophic treatises... Why Preserve Natural Variety? arrives at an opportune time. Biodiversity is a current catch word and Norton provides a good analysis of both the arguments supporting biodiversity and the criticisms by skeptics."--David R. Given, BioScience "Norton's book is a fine companion piece to his anthology The Preservation of Species (Princeton University Press, 1986)... Rewarding reading for anyone who has ever reflected on why, how, or if natural habitats should be preserved."--Library Journal "A valuable and unique contribution both to environmental ethics and public policy analysis of the preservation of species question. Norton provides a critical overview of the range of thought on the issue, presents a new and comprehensive rationale for preservation of both species and ecosystems, and addresses policy issues."--Choice

• *FrontMatter, pg. i*CONTENTS, pg. vii*PREFACE, pg. ix*ONE. A Rationale for Preserving Species: An Apology and a Taxonomy, pg. 3*Two. Demand Values and Economic Analysis, pg. 25*THREE. The Value of Ecosystems and the Value of Species, pg. 46*FOUR. Diversity, Stability, and Autogenic Systems, pg. 73*FIVE. Amenity Values, pg. 98*Six. A Parting Look at Demand Values, pg. 119*SEVEN. Anthropocentrism, pg. 135*EIGHT. Nonanthropocentrism I: Intrinsic Value and Individuals, pg. 151*NINE. Nonanthropocentrism II: Species and Ecosystems, pg. 169*TEN. Transformative Values, pg. 185*ELEVEN. A Coherent Rationale for Species Preservation, pg. 214*TWELVE. Formal and Substantive Priority Systems, pg. 243*THIRTEEN. Avoiding Triage: An Alternative Approach to the Priorities Problem, pg. 258*INDEX, pg. 273