The Value in Nature: A Critical Reflection

Abstract The relationship between value and nature has been central in philosophy of the environment, especially in the field known as ‘environmental ethics,’ and it has become even more complex in the wake of the rights of nature movement. The present article argues that such a movement in the domain of law shows a lack of coherence in the domain of ethics. Using the recent recognition of the Mar Menor lagoon in Spain as a legal person as a point of departure, I present what I believe are the three main approaches in ethics of the environment, with special emphasis on ‘environmental ethics’ and the notion of intrinsic value. I then return to the question of the right of nature and discuss the Mar Menor case as a patchwork ethics. Finally, I offer some comments on the effect that philosophical reflection on value in the environment has had on rights of nature legislation.