2000/10/01 by Mark Rowlands, Gary Varner · 2 citations
Environmental Science · Social Sciences · #Environmental Philosophy and Ethics #Religion, Ecology, and Ethics #Climate Change and Geoengineering
paper · doi:10.2307/2693630
openalex publication_date 2000/10/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/11
This book offers a powerful response to what Varner calls the two dogmas of environmental ethics-the assumptions that animal rights philosophies and anthropocentric views are each antithetical to sound environmental policy. Allowing that every living organism has interests which ought, other things being equal, to be protected, Varner contends that some interests take priority over others. He defends both a sentientist principle giving priority to the lives of organisms with conscious desires and an anthropocentric principle giving priority to certain very inclusive interests which only humans have. He then shows that these principles not only comport with but provide significant support for environmental goals.