Agreed, completely. I would say that conservation of species is primarily about emotion and aesthetics, although there are exceptions. Other aspects of environmentalism, however, including conservation of many types of landscapes, are primarily about life support or "ecosystem services".
I tend to be skeptical of statements invoking "intrinsic rights" or "intrinsic value". They seem to be shorthand for, "I, the speaker, like this thing but can't really say why". Jane Shevtsov On Tue, Jan 6, 2009 at 11:37 AM, Heather Reynolds <[email protected]> wrote: > These are all great points. But balance would argue that care for the > environment should stem both from an appreciation of its utility as well as > from moral sensibilities. Indeed, there has been a long-standing debate in > philosophy on the utilitarianism vs. intrinsic rights as a basis for > preserving nature. Granted, I haven't quite said where love fits into this > - but would offer that we can love something both because we recognize we > need it, as well as just for itself. > > Heather Reynolds > Associate Professor > Department of Biology > Jordan Hall 142 > Indiana University > 1001 E 3rd Street > Bloomington IN 47405 > > Ph: (812) 855-0792 > Fax: (812) 855-6705 > [email protected] > > On Jan 6, 2009, at 10:39 AM, Jane Shevtsov wrote: > >> I don't know about parasitologists, but the mycologists I know are >> more enthused about their subjects than any other group of biologists >> I've met! "Loving" something in nature has, for many scientists, >> nothing to do with conventional beauty. (Luckily for most of us, >> something similar applies to human relationships.) My work is in basic >> science, without immediate practical application, and I wouldn't be >> doing it if I didn't love forests and food webs. >> >> However, I agree with your larger concern. While I'm all for getting >> people to experience nature, it makes me cringe to hear people say >> care for the environment depends on such experiences or love of >> nature. Do you love your water main, the farms that grow your food, >> penicillin? This is about life support, people! >> >> Jane Shevtsov >> >> On Tue, Jan 6, 2009 at 8:01 AM, William Silvert <[email protected]> >> wrote: >>> >>> Although this sounds like a lovely book, I am not terribly comfortable >>> with >>> the concept, at least not in connetion with an ecology mailing list. Part >>> of >>> our work as scientists is promoting a rational, rather than romantic, >>> concern for our environment, and while some of us (like Ehrlich) may have >>> gotten involved with ecology because of an emotional attachment to >>> beautiful >>> creatures, many of us are having difficulty defending the role of the >>> ugly >>> and even disgusting organisms that are an essential part of ecosystems >>> (such >>> as detritivores). >>> >>> I am curious to know how many parasitologists and mycologists feel that >>> their life's work was rooted in some "rapturous love affair" with >>> tapeworms >>> or mildew. Who ever fell in love with nematodes and polychaetes? >>> (Although >>> my late friend Peter Schwinghamer had a sign over his door saying "Worms >>> can >>> teach us awe and wonder.") >>> >>> My concern has a practical side to it. There are seal species far more at >>> risk than harp seals, but mottled grey beasts with nasty teeth do not >>> seem >>> to attract the support of anti-sealing campaigners. It is hard to argue >>> that >>> the biodiversity of beautiful flowers in Costa Rica is more vital to our >>> survival than the worms crawling around in the mud of the North Sea, but >>> much of the emphasis on conservation of biodiversity focusses on tropical >>> hot spots rather than the low and dirty. >>> >>> I don't want to discourage anyone from enjoying the beauty of the natural >>> enviornment, but I also want to remind the scientific community that >>> ecology >>> is not about beauty, it is about systems that often do not appeal to our >>> aesthetic sense. I like my work, but manage not to get too emotionally >>> involved! >>> >>> Bill Silvert >>> >>> >>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jamie Reaser" >>> <[email protected]> >>> To: <[email protected]> >>> Sent: Monday, January 05, 2009 10:44 PM >>> Subject: [ECOLOG-L] New Book for Nature Enthusiasts >>> >>> >>>> Dear Nature Enthusiasts - >>>> >>>> Hiraeth Press and Ecos Systems Institute are please to announce the >>>> publication of:Courting the Wild: Love Affairs with the Land, edited by >>>> Dr. Jamie K. Reaser and Ms. Susan Chernak McElroy. >>>> >>>> Do you remember the first time you fell in love? >>>> >>>> Within these pages will you find love stories, rapturous love affairs >>>> with >>>> the land, longings, shameless seductions, betrothals, vows exchanged, >>>> marriages of the soul, heartaches, partings, healings, and renewals. The >>>> authors are the courters and the courted.Their landscape paramours >>>> embrace >>>> them and they grow forth from within. >>>> >>>> "A stirring book.filled with transcendent and highly personal moments of >>>> revelation, of awe, reverence, and love for nature.the profound truth >>>> and >>>> magic of becoming one with life on Earth. This book is for anyone >>>> anywhere.from the camper's backpack to bedside tables." - Dr. Thomas >>>> Lovejoy, President, The H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economics >>>> and the Environment >>>> >>>> "Like many ecologists, I had a love affair with nature (especially with >>>> butterflies) long before I became a scientist. The love affairs >>>> described >>>> here will either tell you what I mean, or remind you of your own affair. >>>> Either way, you'll enjoy them." - Dr. Paul Ehrlich, co-author of the >>>> Dominant Animal: Human Evolution and the Environment >>>> >>>> Available from: >>>> - Hiraeth Press: www.hiraethpress.com >>>> - www.amazon.com >>>> >>>> A limited number of signed copies are available, contact Dr. Jamie K. >>>> Reaser at [email protected]. If you'd like to help promote the book, >>>> please e-mail Jamie for a flyer. >>>> >>> >> >> >> >> -- >> ------------- >> Jane Shevtsov >> Ecology Ph.D. student, University of Georgia >> co-founder, <a href="http://www.worldbeyondborders.org";>World Beyond >> Borders</a> >> Check out my blog, <a >> href="http://perceivingwholes.blogspot.com";>Perceiving Wholes</a> >> >> "Political power comes out of the look in people's eyes." --Kim >> Stanley Robinson, _Blue Mars_ > > -- ------------- Jane Shevtsov Ecology Ph.D. student, University of Georgia co-founder, <a href="http://www.worldbeyondborders.org";>World Beyond Borders</a> Check out my blog, <a href="http://perceivingwholes.blogspot.com";>Perceiving Wholes</a> "Political power comes out of the look in people's eyes." --Kim Stanley Robinson, _Blue Mars_
