Quote:
|
Quote by: Belverron Many species are driven to extinction by other species. |
Traditionally species were driven to extinction for a variety of reasons... changes in the environment, such as ice ages and other climate changes, continental shifts which connected or seperated landmasses, introduction of new predators or competing species, etc. etc.
None of which, with the exception of catastrophic events like asteroid hits, took place within a microscopic time window such as the mere 200 year explosion of industrialized mankind.
Quote:
|
Quote by: IGX However, in a decent society animals deserve fair treatment, but their welfare should never be placed above that of mankind. |
And what constitutes the "welfare" of mankind? Unending sprawl for the benefit of developers? Ever more pollution in order to maximize shareholders profits, unencumbered by regulations? The delicate pioneer sensibillities of a few ranchers? Pandering to the profitability of traditional resource exploitation rather than innovation?
Human beings have an amazing capacity to adapt and to innovate. Nature has far less of that capacity, as the expanding list of potential global catastrophes that I listed demonstrate. Simple convenience and unfettered profit making does not constitute our welfare. A sustainable world does.
.
.