Philosophy and ethics of de-extinction

In this essay, we explore the philosophical and ethical issues concerning de-extinction. First, we will characterize what de-extinction is. This requires clarification of the process of extinction. Second, we consider whether de-extinction is even possible. There are a variety of arguments involving...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inCambridge Prisms: Extinction Vol. 1; p. e7
Main Author Odenbaugh, Jay
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England Cambridge University Press 2023
Subjects
Ancient DNA
Biodiversity conservation
Conservation
Deextinction
Ethics and policy
Overview Review
Species Extinction
Ancient DNA
Biodiversity conservation
Ethics and policy
Conservation
Deextinction
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:In this essay, we explore the philosophical and ethical issues concerning de-extinction. First, we will characterize what de-extinction is. This requires clarification of the process of extinction. Second, we consider whether de-extinction is even possible. There are a variety of arguments involving the nature of species that purport to show that once they have disappeared they cannot be resurrected. Third, we examine whether de-extinction is morally permissible. There are arguments that suggest we are obligated to do it based on restorative justice and biodiversity conservation. There are other arguments that conclude we are not permitted to do so based on considerations of animal welfare, hubris and the allocation of conservation resources.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
ObjectType-Review-3
content type line 23
ISSN:2755-0958
2755-0958
DOI:10.1017/ext.2023.4