The role of ethics is becoming an increasingly important feature of biodiversity conservation dialogue and practice. Compassionate conservationists argue for a prohibition of, or at least a strong presumption against, the adoption of conservation policies that intentionally harm animals. They assert that to be compassionate is to care about animals and that it is antithetical to caring for animals to intentionally harm them. Compassionate conservationists thus criticize many existing conservation practices and policies. Two things together challenge the philosophical foundation of compassionate conservation. First, compassionate conservationists ground their theory in virtue ethics, yet virtue ethics permits exceptions to moral rules, so there cannot be an in-principle prohibition on adopting intentional harm-inducing policies and practices. But not all compassionate conservationists advocate for a prohibition on intentionally harming animals, only a strong presumption against it. This leads to the second point: compassion can motivate a person to adopt a harm-inducing conservation policy or practice when doing so is the best available option in a situation in which animals will be harmed no matter what policy or practice is adopted. Combining these insights with the empirical observation that conservationists regularly find themselves in tragic situations, we arrive at the conclusion that conservationists may regularly advocate for harm-inducing policies and practices from a position of compassion.

中文翻译：

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慈悲保护中的慈悲美德

伦理的作用正在成为生物多样性保护对话和实践中越来越重要的特征。富有同情心的环保主义者主张禁止或至少强烈反对采用故意伤害动物的保护政策。他们断言，富有同情心就是关心动物，而故意伤害动物与照顾动物是对立的。因此，富有同情心的环保主义者批评了许多现有的保护做法和政策。两件事共同挑战了富有同情心的保护的哲学基础。首先，富有同情心的保护主义者将他们的理论建立在美德伦理之上，但美德伦理允许道德规则的例外情况，因此原则上不能禁止采用故意造成伤害的政策和做法。但并非所有富有同情心的环保主义者都主张禁止故意伤害动物，只是强烈反对它。这就引出了第二点：同情心可以激励一个人采取导致伤害的保护政策或做法，而在无论采取何种政策或做法都会伤害动物的情况下，这样做是最好的选择。将这些见解与环保主义者经常发现自己处于悲惨境地的经验观察相结合，我们得出的结论是，环保主义者可能会经常从同情的立场倡导伤害诱发的政策和做法。同情心可以激励一个人采取导致伤害的保护政策或做法，而在无论采取何种政策或做法都会伤害动物的情况下，这样做是最好的选择。将这些见解与环保主义者经常发现自己处于悲惨境地的经验观察相结合，我们得出的结论是，环保主义者可能会经常从同情的立场倡导伤害诱发的政策和做法。同情心可以激励一个人采取导致伤害的保护政策或做法，因为在无论采取何种政策或做法都会伤害动物的情况下，这样做是最好的选择。将这些见解与环保主义者经常发现自己处于悲惨境地的经验观察相结合，我们得出的结论是，环保主义者可能会经常从同情的立场倡导伤害诱发的政策和做法。