In Nature's Interests?

This book offers a powerful response to what Varner calls the "two dog mas of environmental ethics"--the assumptions that animal rights philo sophies and anthropocentric views are each antithetical to sound envir onmental policy. Allowing that every living organism has interests whi ch ought, other things being equal, to be protected, Varner contends t hat some interests take priority over others. He defends both a sentie ntist principle giving priority to the lives of organisms with conscio us desires and an anthropocentric principle giving priority to certain very inclusive interests which only humans have. He then shows that t hese principles not only comport with but provide significant support for environmental goals.