The podcast dives into the intriguing world of extinction, highlighting the fate of creatures like the dodo and the risks posed by human actions. It contemplates the philosophical dilemmas surrounding humanity's role as both creator and destroyer. Listeners are taken on a humorous journey through potential scenarios of human extinction and the ethics of technological intervention in nature. The discussion also touches on the cutting-edge quest for de-extinction, exploring the emotional and ecological ramifications of reviving long-gone species.
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Discovery of Extinction
In 1739, French explorers found a giant femur, tusk, and teeth, initially believed to be from an elephant.
Naturalist Georges Cuvier later hypothesized that these belonged to an extinct animal, introducing the concept of extinction.
insights INSIGHT
Christianity and Extinction
Christianity made human extinction unthinkable due to beliefs like the great chain of being and human immortality.
Secularization allowed for discussions about extinction.
insights INSIGHT
The Anthropocene
The Anthropocene highlights human-caused environmental damage.
Humans have altered land, rivers, and the atmosphere, resulting in increased carbon dioxide and methane.
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Human Extinction: A History of the Science and Ethics of Annihilation
Human Extinction: A History of the Science and Ethics of Annihilation
Emile Torres
Should We Go Extinct?
Todd May
Todd May's book explores the ethical dilemma of human extinction, weighing the potential benefits and drawbacks of humanity's continued existence.
Flight ways
Flight ways
Life and Loss at the Edge of Extinction
Thom Van Dooren
The Sixth Extinction
Patterns of Life and the Future of Humankind
Richard E. Leakey
In this book, Leakey and Lewin discuss how human activities are leading to a catastrophic reduction in the number of plant and animal species on Earth. They argue that humans have become the primary cause of this sixth extinction, similar to the five major extinctions documented in the fossil record. The authors emphasize the need for humans to recognize their impact on the global ecosystem and to take conscious actions to mitigate this destruction.
The Overstory
Richard Powers
The Overstory is a sweeping and impassioned work of environmental fiction that follows the lives of nine individuals whose paths are intertwined by their connections to trees. The novel is structured in four parts – 'Roots', 'Trunk', 'Crown', and 'Seeds' – mirroring the parts of a tree. It delves into themes of ecology, climate change, and the interconnectedness of trees and humans, using a blend of science, history, and magical realism. The book advocates for the protection of trees and the natural world, posing critical questions about humanity's relationship with the environment and the long-term consequences of human actions[2][4][5].
Dinosaurs, mammoths, ibexes, frogs: a great deal of animals have gone the way of the dodo. Are we next? And would the world be better off without us? In Episode 116 of Overthink, Ellie and David talk about extinction, from Christian eschatology, to the perils of Anthropocene, to cutting-edge de-extinction technology. They turn to animal ethics and scientific dilemmas in search of the ethical approaches that might equip us to think about the extinction of animals, and perhaps even our own. Plus, in the bonus, they talk love, cyborgs, tech bros, and the ethics of the future.
Works Discussed Thom Van Dooren, Flight Ways: Life and Loss at the Edge of Extinction Elizabeth Kolbert, The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History Todd May, Should We Go Extinct? Jacob Sherkow and Henry Greely, “What if Extinction is not Forever?” Émile Torres, Human Extinction: A History of the Science and Ethics of Annihilation Children of Men (2006) dir. Alfonso Cuarón Episode 46. Anti-Natalism
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