Michael Soulé discusses several "normative postulates" of conservation biology, including that "biotic diversity has intrinsic value" (Soulé 1985). The idea that nature and biotic diversity have ...
Conservation Biology 19, 1803-1812 (2005). Norton, B. "Caring for nature: A broader look at animal stewardship," in Ethics on the Ark: Zoos, Animal Welfare and Wildlife Conservation, eds.