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OverviewThere has been a deluge of material on biodiversity, starting from a trickle back in the mid-1980's. However, this book is entirely unique in its treatment of the topic. It is unique in its meticulously crafted, scientifically informed, philosophical examination of the norms and values that are at the heart of discussions about biodiversity. And it is unique in its point of view, which is the first to comprehensively challenge prevailing views about biodiversity and its value. According to those dominant views, biodiversity is an extremely good thing – so good that it has become the emblem of natural value. The book's broader purpose is to use biodiversity as a lens through which to view the nature of natural value. It first examines, on their own terms, the arguments for why biodiversity is supposed to be a good thing. This discussion cuts a very broad and detailed swath through the scientific, economic, and environmental literature. It finds all these arguments to be seriously wanting. Worse, these arguments appear to have consequences that should dismay and perplex most environmentalists. The book then turns to a deeper analysis of these failures and suggests that they result from posing value questions from within a framework that is inappropriate for nature's value. It concludes with a novel suggestion for framing natural value. This new proposal avoids the pitfalls of the ones that prevail in the promotion of biodiversity. And it exposes the goals of conservation biology, restoration biology, and the world's largest conservation organizations as badly ill-conceived. Full Product DetailsAuthor: Donald S. MaierPublisher: Springer Imprint: Springer Edition: 2012 Volume: 19 Dimensions: Width: 15.50cm , Height: 3.10cm , Length: 23.50cm Weight: 1.022kg ISBN: 9789400739901ISBN 10: 9400739907 Pages: 568 Publication Date: 24 May 2012 Audience: College/higher education , Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly Format: Hardback Publisher's Status: Active Availability: Manufactured on demand  We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier. Table of Contents1 Prologue.- 2 Preliminaries.- 3 What biodiversity is.- 4 What biodiversity is not.- 5 The calculus of biodiversity value.- 6 Theories of biodiversity value.- 7 Some inconvenient implications.- 8 Natural value starting from people.- 9 Figures.- 10 Glossary of Scientific, Computational, Economic, and Philosophical Terms.- 11 Acknowledgments.- 12 References.- 13 Index.ReviewsFrom the reviews: In What's So Good about Biodiversity, Maier, an environmentalist and moral philosopher, redefines the argument for the value of nature beyond the current biodiversity justification. ... it is more appropriate for an environmental ethics course for advanced students. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers/faculty. (K. R. Thompson, Choice, Vol. 50 (4), December, 2012) Author InformationTab Content 6Author Website:Countries AvailableAll regions |
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