The Ideal of Nature: Debates about Biotechnology and the Environment

In this provocative anthology, scholars consider the meaning and merits of "nature" in debates about biotechnology and the environment.

Drawing on philosophy, religion, and political science, this book asks what the term "nature" means, how it should be considered, and if it is—even in part—a social construct. The contributors question if the quality of being "natural" is intrinsically valuable. They also discuss whether appeals to nature can and should affect public policy and, if so, w...