General Discussion

MattBaggins

(7,948 posts)

110. Very good logic

Fri Aug 23, 2013, 05:53 PM

Aug 2013

If it is OK to try to save the polar bear, down to the very last one, would it be OK if they do die off, to save their DNA and in the near future clone them back into existence?

If it we ought to save species near extinction, isn't saving their DNA for perhaps our grandchildren to bring back also acceptable?

If it would be OK to save the Polar bear in such a manner why not bring back the passenger pigeon? What is the point backwards in time that we stop?

Do we keep trying to preserve the polar bear until the last one drops dead and then throw up our hands and say "oh well"?

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Why would anyone be opposed to de-extinction? [View all] LearningCurve Aug 2013 OP

Terrible use of resources--there are enough species in need of protection. nt geek tragedy Aug 2013 #1

Let's say this doesn't come from public funds LearningCurve Aug 2013 #22

The now-extinct species would be an invasive and potentially disruptive one. geek tragedy Aug 2013 #24

The last point was made in a documentary I recently saw LearningCurve Aug 2013 #28

False on several levels Scootaloo Aug 2013 #57

So, why didn't avocados go extinct after ground sloths did? geek tragedy Aug 2013 #59

Because that's not how it works Scootaloo Aug 2013 #61

And who would teach these animals how to eat, and breed, and avoid predators, or geek tragedy Aug 2013 #64

That's a fair question Scootaloo Aug 2013 #67

What a great post! Metatron Aug 2013 #60

I'll concur with that sentiment here LearningCurve Aug 2013 #62

We've already seen that movie... awoke_in_2003 Aug 2013 #38

Beat me to it.... msanthrope Aug 2013 #41

They'd just die out again. bravenak Aug 2013 #2

You think we really need more dodo birds? CBGLuthier Aug 2013 #3

It's not really a need LearningCurve Aug 2013 #14

Sure. Dodo Nuggets, Dodo Wings with Buffalo Sauce, Dodo Strips..... FSogol Aug 2013 #72

Heh. :) branford Aug 2013 #75

not me, I would love to see dinosaurs running around quinnox Aug 2013 #4

Finally someone is talking sense! LearningCurve Aug 2013 #11

Naw, I'd rather see more calderas and asteroid impacts. kentauros Aug 2013 #36

Curse you and your competing science! LearningCurve Aug 2013 #54

You could badly damage an ecosystem by bringing back one animal without bring back its predator. JVS Aug 2013 #5

True LearningCurve Aug 2013 #16

Two Words demwing Aug 2013 #6

The Smallpox virus is now extinct in the wild. Xipe Totec Aug 2013 #7

yikes! Did you really need to post such a huge blow up picture of that? quinnox Aug 2013 #12

Yeah, that was really tacky, and rude. closeupready Aug 2013 #105

and people don't think we need vaccines anymore. liberal_at_heart Aug 2013 #15

We don't need smallpox vaccines anymore. N.T. Donald Ian Rankin Aug 2013 #45

Actually, we hope we won't need smallpox vaccines anymore Marrah_G Aug 2013 #53

For the record, I'm opposed to bringing back smallpox LearningCurve Aug 2013 #17

Too damn hot. nt awoke_in_2003 Aug 2013 #39

By hot do you mean sexy? LearningCurve Aug 2013 #42

Maybe... awoke_in_2003 Aug 2013 #46

Knock yourself out. Just don't use public funds. nt Xipe Totec Aug 2013 #47

should we not use public funds to save the polar bear? MattBaggins Aug 2013 #92

The Polar Bear is extinct? That's news to me Xipe Totec Aug 2013 #104

Very good logic MattBaggins Aug 2013 #110

That applies to Polar Bears (maybe) Xipe Totec Aug 2013 #114

why do you think the mammoth died out in the first place? TorchTheWitch Aug 2013 #68

It is generally agreed mammoths were hunted into extinction LearningCurve Aug 2013 #69

baloney TorchTheWitch Aug 2013 #77

I assume you didn't watch the video LearningCurve Aug 2013 #83

Untrue, actually Scootaloo Aug 2013 #76

time does not flow backwards. The time and environment they would be coming back to is different, liberal_at_heart Aug 2013 #8

not opposed, but cautious about the details.... mike_c Aug 2013 #9

Caution I can understand LearningCurve Aug 2013 #18

In person? Sounds like you have some interesting discussions! Quantess Aug 2013 #10

I have an eclectic group of people I converse with LearningCurve Aug 2013 #20

So are you the guy in the movie Skidmore Aug 2013 #13

The guy who funds the lab LearningCurve Aug 2013 #19

Crichton has a lot to answer for... Scootaloo Aug 2013 #63

I'll say he does LearningCurve Aug 2013 #71

Interesting to see a sci-fi writer telling people to be afraid of science, huh? Scootaloo Aug 2013 #78

Yeah, Always found that odd LearningCurve Aug 2013 #85

I like the idea of building a database of DNA patterns to clone creatures on demand from. redgreenandblue Aug 2013 #21

Nice one LearningCurve Aug 2013 #25

Human intervention. Motown_Johnny Aug 2013 #23

This is close to my view LearningCurve Aug 2013 #26

Well, luckily... Scootaloo Aug 2013 #66

Because most of them Tien1985 Aug 2013 #27

A common thread I'm starting to see is waste of resources LearningCurve Aug 2013 #29

Then I still wouldn't Tien1985 Aug 2013 #33

The animal brought back would have no parents, no siblings, no mate The Second Stone Aug 2013 #30

Undoing human mistakes would be good sarisataka Aug 2013 #31

Existing species are on the brink. closeupready Aug 2013 #32

Alot we don't know zipplewrath Aug 2013 #34

exactly. liberal_at_heart Aug 2013 #35

A valid point LearningCurve Aug 2013 #37

Just the same zipplewrath Aug 2013 #82

Humanity should attempt to have even more control of the environment? The2ndWheel Aug 2013 #40

Far to many people are afraid of science Ohio Joe Aug 2013 #43

Me either LearningCurve Aug 2013 #44

science does have its negatives. The atom bomb being one of them. liberal_at_heart Aug 2013 #49

I don't think anyone denies that science has been mis-used... Ohio Joe Aug 2013 #51

There's a difference in denying science all together and asking rational questions about liberal_at_heart Aug 2013 #55

I think its more a fear of the unknown LostOne4Ever Aug 2013 #58

There is a time when this may be a good idea. Not now. Lee-Lee Aug 2013 #48

I can think of many valid scientific purposes LearningCurve Aug 2013 #56

"as we colonize other planets" is hundreds of years in the future, at best muriel_volestrangler Aug 2013 #107

Look what the poor wolves have to put up with whenever they are reintroduced to a place... hunter Aug 2013 #50

First we should eliminate the cause of their extinction... immoderate Aug 2013 #52

Thanks for posting this! MelungeonWoman Aug 2013 #65

You are welcome! LearningCurve Aug 2013 #73

Someday someone will be thinking about de-extincting humans. hunter Aug 2013 #70

Don't think we'll need to worry about that..... AverageJoe90 Aug 2013 #113

Jurassic Park? davidn3600 Aug 2013 #74

When we've stopped rendering other species extinct, maybe then we can think about it. arcane1 Aug 2013 #79

Depends on the species AnnieBW Aug 2013 #80

I've walked where Tas Tigers have walked. I'd love to see them regain their place in this world. BlueJazz Aug 2013 #81

I've always been fascinated by the evolution of life there LearningCurve Aug 2013 #87

Also has some cool rocks and shoreline.. BlueJazz Aug 2013 #88

Stunning! LearningCurve Aug 2013 #89

Yes, very opposed. If you vandalize a cathedral you stop spraying paint Recursion Aug 2013 #84

To take the analogy further LearningCurve Aug 2013 #90

Bring back the T-rex! Travis_0004 Aug 2013 #86

^ Wins thread (nt) LostOne4Ever Aug 2013 #94

I'm against it when it comes to mankind. Katashi_itto Aug 2013 #91

What about bringing the neanderthal back? LearningCurve Aug 2013 #93

I could go with that. However likely we would drive them back into extinction. Katashi_itto Aug 2013 #96

What if they were tasty though? LearningCurve Aug 2013 #97

Hmmm...you know, that does sound pretty good.... Katashi_itto Aug 2013 #103

Carolina parakeets apparently made cats die... there are sometimes unintended JCMach1 Aug 2013 #95

Say what? XemaSab Aug 2013 #106

apparently so JCMach1 Aug 2013 #109

Unintended consequences that we, as a species, Cerridwen Aug 2013 #98

I'd say the same argument holds for eliminating a species LearningCurve Aug 2013 #99

We've proven we are not intellectually or emotionally mature enough Cerridwen Aug 2013 #100

If I had the money to do this LearningCurve Aug 2013 #101

I agree it would be a fabulous undertaking. Cerridwen Aug 2013 #102

Agreed, these days no island is an island LearningCurve Aug 2013 #108

It's a noble idea.....but it may have unintended consequences. AverageJoe90 Aug 2013 #111

For those reasons, I would advocate caution LearningCurve Aug 2013 #112