However in this study of international environmental ethics this book explodes this myth it shows how nations like individuals are creating environmental laws and policies which are continually inviting failure since such laws are riddled with inconsistencies and are ultimately contradictory in purpose specifically the book seeks a nexus between the reasons why nations protect the environment how these reasons are reflected in law and policy and what complications arise from these . International environmental law policy and ethics oxford scholarship this second edition revises this study into the question of why the environment is protected in the international arena this question is rarely asked because it is assumed that each member of the international community wants to achieve the same ends. This second edition of international environmental law policy and ethics revises and expands this groundbreaking study into the question of why the environment is protected in the international arena this question is rarely asked because it is assumed that each member of the international community wants to achieve the same ends however in his innovative study of international environmental ethics alexander gillespie explodes this myth. International environmental law policy and ethics alexander gillespie clarendon press o oxford 1997 contents table of important laws declarations and decisions in chronological order xi introduction 1 i anthropocentricism 4 1 foundations theories and positions 5 a the physical and the mental 5 b the individual nature of existence 6 c the dichotomies between humanity and nature 9