The photograph shows a rare remnant of original oak savanna habitat, which has been preserved in the William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon. The concept of intrinsic value may lead to the recognition that humans have a duty to protect natural resources even when they do not offer any economic or other benefits to humanity.

Photo credit: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service/George Gentry

Instrumental value considers the value of an object in terms of what can be done with it or what further value can be gained from it. This is often expressed in common speech as considering something as a means to an end and is contrasted with intrinsic value, which means “value in and of itself,” or “value for its own sake.” A ...

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