From Wilderness to Pottery

Abstract

Abstract This chapter argues that conservation doesn’t just shape identity, but moreover, the shaping of identity, both individual and collective, can help explain why conservation matters. The chapter considers three commonly invoked rationales for conservation (appeals to intrinsic value, irreplaceability, and respect), and argues that while each consideration brings something to the table, they are each inadequate on their own. The framework of meaning provided by identity helps to explain when and why appeals to intrinsic value, irreplaceability, and respect matter for conservation. Some intrinsically valuable things are irreplaceable because their loss would threaten our sense of self. Respect for these things, however, doesn’t always require conservation. Sometimes respect requires letting something change, or even be destroyed.