Browsing by Author "Island Press, publisher"

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Open Access
Biophilia, selfish genes, shared values
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 1993) Rolston, Holmes, 1932-2025, author; Island Press, publisher
Two central features of Edward O. Wilson's work are selfish genes and biophilia. A biophilia ethics is based in a love for all forms of life, so the chief exponent of selfish genes reaches toward a more comprehensive ethics, one even including ants. Thereby comes the puzzle. Can we get biophilia out of selfish genes? The analysis here proposes a theory that both better describes what is going on and better prescribes what ought to be. By a series of ever more extensive hookups we weave the selfish genes into global natural history. Philosophically speaking, this is a study in integration and identity in natural history.
Open Access
Global environmental ethics: a valuable Earth
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 1995) Rolston, Holmes, 1932-2025, author; Island Press, publisher
Environmental ethics in the next century will increasingly have to ask what kind of balance ought to be reached between nature and culture. Earth is now in a post-evolutionary phase. Perhaps the principal novelty of the new millennium is that Earth will be a managed planet. Today there are problems of overpopulation, overconsumption, and the underdistribution of resources. Humans must remake Earth for the supporting of agriculture, industry, and culture. After that, perhaps, on the larger planetary scales, it is better to build our cultures in intelligent harmony with the way the world is already built, rather than take control and rebuild the planet by ourselves and for ourselves.
Open Access
In situ and ex situ conservation: philosophical and ethical concerns
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2004) Rolston, Holmes, 1932-2025, author; Island Press, publisher
Understandings of "natural" and "artificial" lie in the background of discussions about in-situ and ex-situ conservation. Plants growing ex-situ in botanic gardens are hybrids of the natural and the artificial. There will be temptations to substitute ex-situ for in situ conservation, believing this to protect the desired resource base. The intrinsic values in plants are ecosystemically situated. In this sense intrinsic plant value is in-situ. Removed to an ex-situ location, a plant--especially a domesticated or captive plant--becomes something else, compromised in its integrity. Such compromise may be pragmatically and politically necessary, but it needs to be recognized philosophically and ethically as prejudicing the values carried by plants.
Open Access
Philosophy: environmental ethics in undergraduate philosophy curriculum
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 1996) Rolston, Holmes, 1932-2025, author; Island Press, publisher
A chapter on teaching undergraduates environmental ethics in philosophy classes. This complements other chapters on anthropology, biology, economics, geography, history, literature, journalism, political science, and religion. Rationales, guidelines, sample plans for courses, annotated resources, both print and nonprint. Major literature in the field.