Scientific concepts have often been treated as "proxies" for value. This is especially true for values assigned to nature, such as conservation value. Since its coinage in 1986, the concept of biodiversity has emerged as one of the most influential in this tradition of proxy concepts. However, the difficulties of defining and measuring biodiversity, in combination with the growing empirical evidence that biodiversity does not always serve as an appropriate proxy for conservation goals, suggests that the normative uses of the concept of biodiversity must be reconsidered.

Brendan Bohannan (IEE), Nicolae Morar (ENVS), and Ted Toadvine (ENVS & PHIL) will organize a series of interdisciplinary workshops for students and faculty from biology, philosophy, and environmental studies in order question the normative role of biodiversity. For each workshop, the group will invite to campus a renowned biodiversity scholar.