Is the environment inherently valuable and why?

[Mr. Clean]

Originally Posted by imageWIS

In the Solar System, the Earth has value since it is the only planet capable of sustaining complex lifeforms. Ergo, it is more valuable than the other planets for this reason if no other.

This assigns value to complex lifeforms. Why?

 

[crazyquik]

Shame that plover eggs aren't easier to find.

 

[ysc]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_ecology

http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&...cology&f=false

http://www.springerlink.com/content/x644u2206535706t/

 

[CDFS]

Originally Posted by youngscientist

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_ecology

http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&...cology&f=false

http://www.springerlink.com/content/x644u2206535706t/

According to wikipeadia the Deep ecologists make a lot of random unprovable, albeit sympathetic statements

Originally Posted by wikipeadia

1. The well-being and flourishing of human and nonhuman life on Earth have value in themselves (synonyms: intrinsic value, inherent value). These values are independent of the usefulness of the nonhuman world for human purposes.
2. Richness and diversity of life forms contribute to the realization of these values and are also values in themselves.
3. Humans have no right to reduce this richness and diversity except to satisfy vital human needs.
4. The flourishing of human life and cultures is compatible with a substantial decrease of the human population. The flourishing of nonhuman life requires such a decrease.
5. Present human interference with the nonhuman world is excessive, and the situation is rapidly worsening.
6. Policies must therefore be changed. These policies affect basic economic, technological, and ideological structures. The resulting state of affairs will be deeply different from the present.
7. The ideological change is mainly that of appreciating life quality (dwelling in situations of inherent value) rather than adhering to an increasingly higher standard of living. There will be a profound awareness of the difference between big and great.
8. Those who subscribe to the foregoing points have an obligation directly or indirectly to try to implement the necessary changes.

 

[MetroStyles]

^^^^^ Yeah, I mean they jump into supposition 1 without any proof. That's the meat and potatoes of it all there.

 

[Connemara]

Originally Posted by CDFS

Nothing has any value, but this thread. It has a value of one star,

 

[Dburr]

What was the question again?