The Ethics of De-extinction
It appears that it may now be possible to revive species that have been extinct for several decades, centuries, or even millennia. This invites the question: Should we bring species back from extinction? In this talk, Sandler conducts an ethical analysis and evaluation of de-extinction, in which he assesses several possible ethical considerations in favor of pursuing de-extinction, as well as several possible ethical arguments against de-extinction.
Ronald Sandler is an associate professor of philosophy in the Department of Philosophy and Religion, a researcher in the Nanotechnology and Society Research Group, and a research associate in the Environmental Justice Research Collaborative at Northeastern University. His primary areas of research are environmental ethics, ethics and technology, ethical theory, and Spinoza.
The lecture is presented in conjunction with the Williams Center Gallery exhibition, Requiem: Ectopistes Migratorius. Artist Michael Pestel’s mixed media exhibition marks the centennial of the extinction of the passenger pigeon.
The exhibition is supported in part by an arts infusion grant funded by a generous grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The lecture is co-sponsored by the Ethics Project