Niels Bohr
Dec3-03, 07:45 PM
The following is from http://home.comcast.net/~neoeugenics/eow.htm
Matt Nuenke's review of Edward O. Wilson's The Future of Life, 2002.
This latest book by Wilson, in trying to make the argument that we should preserve all extant species and subspecies (which he calls races), is a continuation of the biophilia argument: that humans have emotional, religious, and ecological reasons for promoting the future existence of other organisms over the expansion and prosperity of humans. I addressed the biophilia argument earlier in my article Biophilia vs. Human Evolution: Insurmountable Constraints, available on this site, but I find it beneficial to address the issue again and contrast it to eugenics.
The book is filled with stories about extinct and soon to be extinct species, and when stripped of any philosophical perspective it may be of interest strictly based on a naturalist interest in organisms. What I want to address however, are Wilson's extension from an interest in other organisms, to the assertion that the welfare of humans and/or the welfare of the earth itself is contingent on preserving species and races of other organisms. His assertions are scattered within the book almost as snippets of dogma, and I will address these as they occurred.
Complete article is at http://home.comcast.net/~neoeugenics/eow.htm
Matt Nuenke's review of Edward O. Wilson's The Future of Life, 2002.
This latest book by Wilson, in trying to make the argument that we should preserve all extant species and subspecies (which he calls races), is a continuation of the biophilia argument: that humans have emotional, religious, and ecological reasons for promoting the future existence of other organisms over the expansion and prosperity of humans. I addressed the biophilia argument earlier in my article Biophilia vs. Human Evolution: Insurmountable Constraints, available on this site, but I find it beneficial to address the issue again and contrast it to eugenics.
The book is filled with stories about extinct and soon to be extinct species, and when stripped of any philosophical perspective it may be of interest strictly based on a naturalist interest in organisms. What I want to address however, are Wilson's extension from an interest in other organisms, to the assertion that the welfare of humans and/or the welfare of the earth itself is contingent on preserving species and races of other organisms. His assertions are scattered within the book almost as snippets of dogma, and I will address these as they occurred.
Complete article is at http://home.comcast.net/~neoeugenics/eow.htm