Environmental Ethics and Science Policy Series In Nature's Interests?

A criticism of the view that animal rights philosophies and anthropocentric ideals are antithetical to sound environmental policy in the ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS AND SCIENCE POLICY series. The author defends a biocentric individualist stance, claiming that this view can also support the goals on the environmentalist agenda. Gary E. Varner presents a carefully argued response to what he characterizes as "two dogmas of environmentalism" - the assumptions that animal rights philosophies and anthropocentric views are each antithetical to sound environmental policy. He defends a "biocentric individualist" stance that gives priority to the lives of animals with conscious desires and to certain human interests and shows that such a view is able to support the goals on the environmentalist agenda.