The White Horse Press

Environmental Values

Contents of Volume 17

Other volumes of EV

Environmental Values

Convergence, Noninstrumental Value and the Semantics of 'Love': Comment on McShane

Environmental Values 17(2008): 5-14. doi: 10.3197/096327108X271914

ABSTRACT

Katie McShane, while accepting my 'convergence hypothesis' (the view that anthropocentrists and nonanthropocentrists will tend to propose similar policies), argues that nonanthropocentrism is nevertheless superior because it allows conservationists to have a deeper emotional commitment to natural objects than can anthropocentrists. I question this reasoning on two bases. First, McShane assumes a philosophically tendentious distinction between intrinsic and instrumental value - a distinction that presupposes a dualistic worldview. Second, I question why McShane believes anthropocentrists - weak anthropocentrists, that is - cannot 'love' or 'feel awe' toward natural objects. Her argument, that is, only works against strong anthropocentrism, which I never advocated.

KEYWORDS

Anthropocentrism, emotions, convergence

This article is available online (PDF format) from Ingenta Journals. Access is free if your institution subscribes to Environmental Values. Reprints of this article can be ordered from ingenta or the British Library

Contact the publishers for subscriptions and back numbers of Environmental Values.

THE WHITE HORSE PRESS
1 Strond
ISLE OF HARRIS HS5 3UD, UK
Tel: +44 1859 520204