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The Trouble with Environmental Values

James, Simon P.

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Authors



Abstract

If we are to assess whether our attitudes towards nature are morally, aesthetically or in any other way appropriate or inappropriate, then we will need to know what those attitudes are. Drawing on the works of Katie McShane, Alan Holland and Christine Swanton, I challenge the common assumption that to love, respect, honour, cherish or adopt any other sort of pro-attitude towards any natural X simply is to value X in some way and to some degree. Depending on how one interprets ‘value’, that assumption is, I contend, either false or vacuous. I argue that to assess the appropriateness of a person’s pro-attitudes towards a natural entity one must in some cases appeal to the concepts of status and/or bond, and not just that of value. To develop my argument, I appeal to the works of two nature writers – Robert Macfarlane and J. A. Baker.

Citation

James, S. P. (2016). The Trouble with Environmental Values. Environmental Values, 25(2), 131-144. https://doi.org/10.3197/096327116x14552114338747

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Oct 28, 2014
Online Publication Date Apr 1, 2016
Publication Date Apr 1, 2016
Deposit Date Nov 26, 2014
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Environmental Values
Print ISSN 0963-2719
Electronic ISSN 1752-7015
Publisher White Horse Press
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 25
Issue 2
Pages 131-144
DOI https://doi.org/10.3197/096327116x14552114338747
Related Public URLs http://www.erica.demon.co.uk/EV/papers/James.pdf

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Copyright Statement
© 2014 The White Horse Press This is a pre-copy-editing, author-produced PDF of an article accepted following peer review for publication in Environmental values, 25, 131-144. The definitive publisher-authenticated version is available online, doi: 10.3197/096327116X14552114338747.





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