De-extinction: Ethics Debate
 

So, what are your views on de-extinction? For those who don't know, here's a brief definition:

De-extinction, or resurrection biology, or species revivalism is the process of creating an organism, which is either a member of, or resembles an extinct species, or breeding population of such organisms. Cloning is the most widely proposed method, although selective breeding has also been proposed. (Source: Wikipedia)

Personally, I think it's the next step in our species unlocking understanding, and working towards mastering the genetic code of our world. I don't see any moral issues with bringing an extinct animal back (considering the ones that we're able to resurrect right now such as the Mammoth we're at the very least partially responsible for their extinction in the first place). They'd be well taken care of due to the sheer amount of money via grants that would be poured into this project once the mainstream caught on, and it would allow us to understand so much more about evolution, the processes of animals in the past, and much, much more.

Personally, I think we should even go a step farther and bring back the Neanderthal, I understand that's an entirely different debate due to being a human ancestor, but in terms of understanding our own genes, and how genes work in humans overall (which could bridge into many, many different things), I think that we should pursue these areas of research.

Whether or not we killed it is irrelevant, unless you have some wishy washy notion of karma or whatever. Just because something went extinct due to non-human environmental factors doesn't mean that A.) it should stay dead just cause, or that B.) it couldn't thrive under a different environment (which would make its original extinction a moot point).

The issue is more along the lines of the meat industry: is it okay to breed organisms specifically for our own purposes, regardless of whether or not it benefits or harms that organism?

*shrug*

If we're already breeding chickens by the millions and treating them like ass then does it make sense to create a double standard when playing god? Not a true answer to the question, but **** it.

I believe it's a completely relevant point, considering a major argument by a lot of people against de-extinction is "well nature made it die for a reason." We're not nature, we've evolved to a point where we control ecosystems instead of participating in them.

Frankly it's because the animal being brought back from the dead is of more scientific importance than the average farm chicken. While I think it's disgusting how a lot of farm animals are treated (some of the footage I've seen is absolutely disgusting), it still doesn't change the fact that the two in terms of stature and population are fundamentally different and not subject to that double standard.

The earth is already way too overpopulated, we don't need more oxygen-hogging, resource-competing mother****ers up in this planet.

That's some more wishy washy bull****. Unless you're using "nature" as a euphemism for God then it's just a nonsense poetical term referring to a ball of rock with a bunch of stuff on it. Nature has no reason.

A random sub-species of fiddler crab might go extinct simply because it was not entirely "maximised" to live on the mile of coastline that it evolved on, even though given the chance it could have been strong enough to have become an invasive species on 90% of the world's other coastlines.

And if we're just talking about recreating extinct species in laboratory conditions then the point becomes entirely moot (though if we're talking about reintroducing extinct species into environments which may very well have evolved to exist without them then the common sense alarm bells need to start sounding.)

That sounds like it has less to do with extinct species and more to do with genetic research in general, making extinct species a red herring. If the issue is what could be done with the research from a velociraptor or a dodo bird that could lead to some big heavy SyFy Channel b-movie ****, then you're not really talking about velociraptors or dodo birds in the first place.

Studies into extinct animals could yield research about more sustainable genetic options which in turn could be utilized in GMOs which everyone on the planet consumes.

Well obviously a GMO de-extinct animal isn't going to be exactly the same as its counterpart (unless they do the method Japan is using where they literally splice the embyro's DNA to unlock the hidden genes of its ancestor using previous blood and modern techniques), I wouldn't exactly call it a red herring since the resulting creature is likely 95 - 99% similar (they've already resurrected an extinct animal, the Pyrenean Ibex, but it died seven minutes after birth due to lung complications)

I say we just try to aim for 100% earth exctinction and then only us humans will have the world.

Animals are so lovely though, and certain ones are delicious.

They can be but when I found out that they're trying to get all of my oxygen and food I was like hell no.

Dem damn animals coming to our country n' taking our air.

Just get rid of all the meat eaters..

Woah what?

Get rid of them by eating them. Meat eaters eating vegans and ****ting out more meat eaters. The world will implode on itself.

If we just eliminate the savages that justify the industrial production of livestock for consumption then we can reduce our global warming impact, and begin to rid society of selfish idiots. Also, there will be more room for extinct animals to come back.

Seems like a win, win, win to me.

Can you also get rid of all those that don't recycle and over consume. I am so tired of being told to recycle/buy local goods/ take the train and see how the amount of recycling and everything good we do here in Sweden amounts to jack when other countries citizens keep justifying their overconsumption, recycle little, and pollute like crazy. Get rid of those guys and then the animals will be really happy ��

Yeah, you people aren't doing **** regardless of anybody anywhere else who isn't recycling. Recycling is just feel good bull**** shoved down your throat to give you the false impression that you're actually doing something. All the non-recycled soda cans in the world amount to nothing compared to corporate pollution. Without them being held accountable you're just patting yourself on the back to make you feel better about yourself.

Honestly, I have to agree. Here in Seattle if you didn't split your recycling into 4 separate bins, you'd be fined for it. They took that fine away since it's such a ridiculous standard to be held in the city. Literally, my grandparents live in West Seattle, and they have 4 separate bins in their backyard. One for yard waste, one for paper, one for recyclables and one for trash.

We have recycling, garbage, and yard waste. The paper one is weird though.

Yeah, it's odd. We have general recycling and garbage where I live, but Seattle as a city has weird laws.

Really? We've been doing that **** in Canada since I was just a youngin'. Lazy ****ing Americans.

Just seems strange that you wouldn't fit paper in with the rest of recyclables since I assumed they went to the same place.

My recycling bin just takes the paper, but I've been using three for all the time I've been in San Diego. I've had like, shred bins and stuff before though. Up in Yosemite we used to have to haul it to the dump every couple of weeks. The dump usually had a lot of cool stuff.

So basically what I'm saying is that I'm anti-de-extinction and therefore am pro-extinction.

I'm not disagreeing, I've just been programmed to do it since I was 4 or 5 years old so it's become a habit.

There would be something beautiful about voluntary human extinction.

Pointless ****ing Canadians.

I find two of these things appaling.

I'm super curious about the ketchup lays.

Ketchup chips are actually disgusting, in case you weren't aware. Everything else in that picture is delicious though.

EDIT - ninja Ki

Is that poutine?

Hell to the yeah it is.

Can't remember if I've ever had it but it looks delicious.

It's amazing. The best part is that all of the poutine places are doing crazy dishes now (there's definitely an idea for a Top 15 in that, btw.) We have a place nearby that offers turkey dinner poutine, bacon cheeseburger poutine, and just about any other crazy flavour you can think of.

Yeah no poutine looks revolting.

Do you like fries?

Gravy?

Cheese?

It's not even a strange combination of items, it tastes like exactly what you think it would taste like.

Poutine is disgusting!

*takes bite of mashed potatoes and gravy*

I may have to make my way up to Canada again sometime. Literally one boat from the pier in Seattle will get me to Victoria.

Gross? I would not just throw a chunk of cheese on fries without melting it. Cause cheese and melted cheese do not in fact taste the same. I also would not put gravy on fries, as that sounds disgusting. I would do so with mashed potatoes, but fries and mashed potatoes do not in fact taste the same.

You're lucky. I've never been to BC but from what I hear it and everything I've seen, it's the nicest place to be in all of Canada. Beautiful scenery, lovely weather, and if you're into it, they have the best weed around.

The cheese is usually melted. French people are the only ones who don't always do that, and **** them anyway. Gravy on fries? Why the **** not. Have you tried it? No? Then shut the **** up and eat some you lard ass.