Biophilia And Conservation Ethic: Chapter Analysis

In chapter one, Biophilia and Conservation Ethic, Wilson argues a urgent need to understand the importance of biodiversity from an anthropocentric perspective. Wilson fist draws our attention to the shocking rate of species extinction caused by human activities and how it might bring irreversible consequences. In explaining why it is important to save species from extinction, he points out the limitation of both the materialist argument and the species right argument: the former one justifies a trade-off mindset of species’ values, the latter one give a higher priority of human’s right to survival than other species. So Wilson proposed his own understanding of the importance of biodiversity, which is a more spiritual and aesthetic perspective. He lists a few standpoints, including “biodiversity is the creation”, “other species are our kin”, “the

The central argument is that human’s dependence on nature not only comes from material needs, but also from their emotional and spiritual desire, a satisfying fulfillment. Interestingly, Kellert not only elaborates why these nine dimensions came to be by using the evolution theory, but also demonstrates how the nine human-nature relationships could shape human’s interaction with environment today. For example, the Utilitarian and Dominionistic values enable people to exploit the physical materials of the nature as a basic mode of survival, but in the same time foster our destruction toward the nature; the Naturalistic and Ecologistic-Scientific values grow out of human’s intrinsic curiosity, but in the same time enhance our appreciation and respect toward nature. They all embody certain advantages for human’s physical survival, while exerting varies impacts on our attitudes and interactions with