The Value of Life: Biological Diversity And Human Society [Hardcover]

Stephen R. Kellert (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1995 | ISBN-10: 1559633174 | ISBN-13: 978-1559633178 | Edition: 1

"The Value of Life" is an exploration of the actual and perceived importance of biological diversity for human beings and society. Stephen R. Kellert identifies ten basic values, which he describes as biologically based, inherent human tendencies that are greatly influenced and moderated by culture, learning, and experience. Drawing on 20 years of original research, he considers: the universal basis for how humans value nature differences in those values by gender, age, ethnicity, occupation, and geographic location how environment-related activities affect values variation in values relating to different species how vlaues vary across cultures policy and management implications Throughout the book, Kellert argues that the preservation of biodiversity is fundamentally linked to human well-being in the largest sense as he illustrates the importance of biological diversity to the human sociocultural and psychological condition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

For 20 years, Kellert (The Diversity of Life, with Edward O. Wilson) has studied how people perceive nature and wildlife. Here, he outlines a framework of basic values, then explores differences among varying demographic and cultural groups. In the final section, he focuses on the links between values of nature and the challenge of managing, conserving and restoring biodiversity. Kellert contrasts Americans' perceptions with those of Germans, Japanese and Botswanans, finding that most Americans have a limited knowledge of nature and biological process. He maintains that the educational impact of zoos is negligible, that of TV nature shows transitory. He discusses the Endangered Species Act, hunting, rural land use and issues of biological conservation in the modern city. Noting that environmental education receives far less support or prestige than natural resource science, he pleads for redressing the balance, showing here how vital living diversity is to humanity.

Copyright 1995 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

The literature is rife with books on the ecological and economic consequences of the loss of biological diversity (E.O. Wilson's The Diversity of Life, LJ 3/1/93,). Kellert, a Yale professor and coeditor of The Biophilia Hypothesis (LJ 11/1/93), takes a different approach by investigating how a diminution of our natural resources will effect the human psyche. His conclusion is that the well-being of the human spirit is dependent upon a strong relationship with nature and living diversity. Kellert devotes a large part of the text to a study on the ways in which our species values animals and nature and how these values are influenced by learning, culture, and experience (for example, the higher a person's education, the more likely a person is to express concern, affection, interest, and knowledge about animals and the natural world). The final section considers the link between values of nature and management, conservation, and restoration of biodiversity. Although clearly and beautifully written, the text may be a bit dry for most lay readers. Highly recommended for all academic libraries and for large environmental collections.
Lynn C. Badger, Univ. of Florida Lib., Gainesville
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 282 pages
• Publisher: Island Press; 1 edition (October 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1559633174
• ISBN-13: 978-1559633178
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,276,542 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive Intro. of Biodiversity and Human Interference, June 15, 2000

By 

Timothy N Taylor - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Value of Life: Biological Diversity And Human Society (Paperback)

Kellert does a wonderful job of carefully exploring how humans define and perceive nature, respective of their cultural backgrounds, gender, economic status, et. al. His study, one that took a couple of decades to accomplish, provides readers with an abundance of information about bioligical diversity, ideas about biophilia, and ways in which we can lessen our destructive impact on the natural world.

His discussion of the history, effectiveness, and ineffectiveness of the Endangered Species Act (one of the strongest sections of the book)is especially revealing in regard to problems that are encountered yearly in the environmental movement. One of Kellert's main organzing ideas is that we need to stop looking at biological diversity in purely economic terms. His research intimates that this mindset is changing, but it could be way too late.

For anyone who is interested in environmental concerns, Kellert provides a wealth of perspectives to show the complexity of humans' interaction with the natural world. I highly recommend this work for readers who are concerned about the environment and for folks who should be concerned.