Faculty Publications
Publication Date
2017
Disciplines
Biology | Philosophy | Philosophy of Science
Abstract
In this paper, we discuss the following four alternative ways of understanding the outcomes of resurrection biology (also known as de-extinction). Implications of each of the ways are discussed with respect to concepts of species and extinction. (1) Replication: animals created by resurrection biology do not belong to the original species but are copies of it. The view is compatible with finality of extinction as well as with certain biological and ecological species concepts. (2) Re-creation: animals created are members of the original species but, despite their existence, the species remains extinct. The view is incompatible with all species concepts presented. (3) Non-extinction: animals produced belong to the original species which actually never went extinct. The view may be consistent with phenetic and phylogenetic species concepts as well as with finality of extinction. (4) According to literal resurrection, resurrection biology is successful in reversing extinction through the creation of new members of species that once went extinct. This view presupposes non-finality of extinction and it is compatible with phenetic species concepts. It is notable that no species or extinction concept is consistent with all possible views of resurrection biology nor is any view of resurrection biology consistent with all species or extinction concepts. Thus, one’s views regarding species and extinction determine which views one can adopt regarding resurrection biology and vice versa.
Document Type
Accepted Version
Rights
This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Philosophy & Technology. The final authenticated version is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13347-016-0244-0.
Original Citation
Helena Siipi & Leonard Finkelman
The extinction and de-extinction of species.
Philosophy & Technology, 2017, volume 30, issue 4, pages 427-441
doi:10.1007/s13347-016-0244-0
DigitalCommons@Linfield Citation
Siipi, Helena and Finkelman, Leonard, "The Extinction and De-Extinction of Species" (2017). Faculty Publications. Accepted Version. Submission 3.
https://digitalcommons.linfield.edu/philfac_pubs/3
Comments
This article is the author-created version that incorporates referee comments. It is the accepted-for-publication version. The content of this version may be identical to the published version (the version of record) save for value-added elements provided by the publisher (e.g., copy editing, layout changes, or branding consistent with the rest of the publication).