Simon P. James is Professor of Philosophy, Durham University.

“I came to philosophy by a roundabout route, taking a BSc in Biological Sciences followed by an MA in the History and Philosophy of Science, before obtaining a PhD for a thesis on environmental ethics. I have written a number of articles on environmental philosophy as well as the following books: ‘Zen Buddhism and Environmental Ethics’ (Routledge, 2004), ‘Buddhism, Virtue and Environment’ (Routledge, 2005; co-authored with David E. Cooper), ‘The Presence of Nature: A Study in Phenomenology and Environmental Philosophy’ (Palgrave-Macmillan, 2009) and ‘Environmental Philosophy: An Introduction’ (Polity, 2015). My new book, ‘How Nature Matters’ (Oxford University Press, 2022), presents a new theory of environmental value, based on the concepts of meaning, constitution and cultural identity.”