The professor is teaching a class on scientific ethics. Write a post responding to the professor’s question.
In your response, you should do the following.
- Express and support your opinion.
- Make a contribution to the discussion in your own words.
An effective response will contain at least 100 words.
Professor: Next, we’ll be discussing the possibility of reviving extinct species. As new developments in genetic engineering are made, it seems more likely that at some point in the future, species that have been extinct for a long time might be revived and reintroduced into nature. What do you think? Should scientists bring back extinct species? Why or why not?
Juan: I believe that scientists should be encouraged to bring back species, even if they have been extinct for a long time. Keep in mind that humans are the main reason why certain species of plants and animals no longer exist, so we almost have a responsibility to revive them if possible. Doing so could create richer and more vibrant ecosystems all over the planet.
Alice: Personally, I’m concerned about the possible side effects of this possibility, so I don’t support it. We don’t know what will happen if a particular species is reintroduced, even in its original habitat. In fact, it could actually cause harm to the populations of other species. Therefore, I think the possible harms could outweigh the benefits.
Sample Response
While Juan has raised some interesting points, I share Alice’s opinion that reviving extinct species is a terrible idea. As she indicated, it could lead to unintended consequences. For example, if we reintroduce a predator that has long been extinct, it could prey on other animals and cause irreparable harm to the overall food chain. Even herbivores could have a major impact on a habitat, as they might reproduce quickly and consume large amounts of plants that other animals depend on for their survival. Moreover, reintroduced species might even cause the spread of diseases in certain areas. Unfortunately, I think we just have to accept that some species have died off and realize that it is important to focus on protecting species that do exist rather than trying to bring back ones that do not.