Bissell documented in a series of focus group interviews in five states that the state wildlife commissions and agencies are often considerably out of touch with the values that are held both by contemporary hunter and nonhunter citizens, catering to a rather narrow interest group of traditional hunters. His analysis concludes that if both citizens and agency personnel were to take Aldo Leopold's land ethic more seriously, much of this value gap would be alleviated. Bissell is chief of environmental interpretation for the Colorado Division of Wildlife. University of Colorado, Boulder . But there is empirical evidence that some animals are self-aware, and this has profound implications for moral duties toward animals.
Animal communication provides evidence that some animals are aware of their own mental states.
One result of the study is to see how the human mind fits into the natural world. The thesis advisor was Dale Jamieson. Moriarty is now teaching philosophy at Longwood College, Farmville, Virginia. University of Colorado, Boulder . Philosophical reflections on property explain how our property institutions enable us to achieve valued goals, such as maximizing satisfied preferences.