The Value of Life is an exploration of the actual and perceived importance of biological diversity for human beings and society. Stephen R. Kellert identifies ten basic values, which he describes as biologically based, inherent human tendencies that are greatly influenced and moderated by culture, learning, and experience. Drawing on 20 years of original research, he considers: the universal basis for how humans value nature differences in those values by gender, age, ethnicity, occupation, and geographic location how environment-related activities affect values variation in values relating to different species how vlaues vary across cultures policy and management implications Throughout the book, Kellert argues that the preservation of biodiversity is fundamentally linked to human well-being in the largest sense as he illustrates the importance of biological diversity to the human sociocultural and psychological condition.

Experts from different disciplines present new insights into the subject of ritual homicide in various regions of the ancient world.

First published in 1985. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Life is treasured in minutes, hours, days, months, and years. In The Time Value of Life, author Tisa L. Silver shares how a simple decision-making rule used in nance can be applied to making decisions in other areas of lifeespecially how to wisely use the time youve been given on earth. A student-turned-professor of nance, Silver introduces the Time Value of Money (TVM) model. She uses hypothetical and real-life examples to show why time should be treated as a valuable gift and demonstrates the parallels between nance and life and between money and time. Silver advocates taking the following steps: Recognize time is a limited resource. Diversify investments. Respect time. Believe in your investments. Make collaborative investments. Understand good investments pay o. Realize the past doesnt dictate the future. Know that your future value depends on your inputs. The Time Value of Life communicates that time is more valuable than money because the value of your life depends on what you do with your time. Stop spending time; start investing it. By being careful about the way you invest your time now, you can enjoy the rewards later.

Whether the law should permit voluntary euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide is one of the most vital questions facing all modern societies. Internationally, the main obstacle to legalisation has proved to be the objection that, even if they were morally acceptable in certain 'hard cases', voluntary euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide could not be effectively controlled; society would slide down a 'slippery slope' to the killing of patients who did not make a free and informed request, or for whom palliative care would have offered an alternative. How cogent is this objection? This book provides the general reader (who need have no expertise in philosophy, law or medicine) with a lucid introduction to this central question in the debate, not least by reviewing the Dutch euthanasia experience. It will interest all in any country whether currently for or against legalisation, who wish to ensure that their opinions are better informed.

Research on the monetary value of saving life and limb has produced results most laypeople would regard as nonsensical; however, researchers continue to try to make sense of these bewildering results and produce new studies. An almost forgotten theory of science can explain why this is so. Studies designed to obtain monetary valuations of life and limb have produced extremely diverse results. There is no consensus among researchers working in the field about the best research methods or the most credible results of research. However, this field of study continues to thrive. The methodology of scientific research programmes, a theory of science developed by the late philosopher Imre Lakatos, can help explain why a particular field of study continues to exist, despite not producing meaningful or easily interpreted results. Readers of the book will gain insight into internal norms of science that guide researchers to continue to pursue studies even if the findings, taken at face value, contradict the theoretical foundations of the research. Scientific theories can be upheld even when the evidence against them seems to be massive.

How much is a human life worth? Individuals, families, companies, and governments routinely place a price on human life. The calculations that underlie these price tags are often buried in technical language, yet they influence our economy, laws, behaviors, policies, health, and safety. These price tags are often unfair, infused as they are with gender, racial, national, and cultural biases that often result in valuing the lives of the young more than the old, the rich more than the poor, whites more than blacks, Americans more than foreigners, and relatives more than strangers. This is critical since undervalued lives are left less-protected and more exposed to risk. Howard Steven Friedman explains in simple terms how economists and data scientists at corporations, regulatory agencies, and insurance companies develop and use these price tags and points a spotlight at their logical flaws and limitations. He then forcefully argues against the rampant unfairness in the system. Readers will be enlightened, shocked, and, ultimately, empowered to confront the price tags we assign to human lives and understand why such calculations matter.