This book addresses the theme of what «nature» is and humans' obligations toward the natural
world. It demonstrates that an approach based in metaphysics can help us to understand better
what nature is and our obligations to the natural world. Beginning with ideas traced from
Aristotle through some of the signifcant figures in European philosophy the author shows that
each living thing is a unique source of value. He then argues that this value puts humans under
an obligation and that adopting an attitude of responsibility to living things is an essential
part of what it means to be human.
