by Laurent Cousineau
(Montreal)
Deep Ecology Intrinsically Values the Old-Growth Forest in Biogradska Gora National Park, Montenegro
Deep ecology (a term coined by Norwegian philosopher Arne Næss) considers the deep philosophical causes to the environmental crisis and that the cure is to change our philosophical outlook.
In effect, deep ecology endorses biospheric egalitarianism, the view that all living things are alike in having value in their own right, independent of its usefulness to human purposes.
Essentially, deep ecology states that there is intrinsic value to all living beings, regardless of their instrumental utility to human needs. For instance, deep ecology would say that we should protect the Amazon Rainforest simply because of its inherent worth (it is valuable in and of itself).
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