The Eight Points of Deep
1. The well-being and flourishing of human and nonhuman
life on Earth have value in themselves (synonyms: intrinsic value, inherent
value). These values are independent of the usefulness of the nonhuman world
for human purposes.
2. Richness and diversity of life forms contribute
to the realization of these values and are also values in themselves.
3. Humans have no right to reduce this richness and diversity except to
satisfy vital human needs.
4. The flourishing of human life and
cultures is compatible with a substantial decrease of the human population. The
flourishing of nonhuman life requires such a decrease. 5. Present human
interference with the nonhuman world is excessive, and the situation is rapidly
6. Policies must therefore be changed. These policies affect
basic economic, technological, and ideological structures. The resulting state
of affairs will be deeply different from the present.
ideological change is mainly that of appreciating life quality (dwelling in
situations of inherent value) rather than adhering to an increasingly higher
standard of living. There will be a profound awareness of the difference
between big and great.
8. Those who subscribe to the foregoing points
have an obligation directly or indirectly to try to implement the necessary
Devall, W. and G. Sessions. 1985. Deep Ecology: Living As
if Nature Mattered Salt Lake City: Gibbs M. Smith, Inc. (as quoted in
An ecocentric rephrasing of Platform Points 1 to 4 is at
Other Ecocentric Texts