Bergets röst : En miljöetisk undersökning av bergs egenvärde och moraliska betydelse

Sammanfattning

In a world increasingly shaped by human intervention, mountains persist as a reminder of the non-human. This thesis investigates the moral status of mountains by examining whether they possess intrinsic value, understood in a “reason-implying sense” as defined by Lars Samuelsson. While environmental ethics frequently focuses on sentient beings or entire ecosystems, the specific moral status of mountains remains relatively unexplored. Through a philosophical analysis, this thesis argues that mountains should be ascribed intrinsic value. The central argument is that the strongest reasons for ascribing such value are grounded in the mountain’s nature as an autonomous, non-human entity. Specifically, the mountain’s “hostility” or “inhospitality” and indifference toward human interests serve as evidence of its absolute autonomy. Consequently, these inherent properties provide direct normative reasons for us to protect mountains, thereby establishing their intrinsic value independent of human instrumental utility.