I just wrote the Introduction to my book, “The Ethics of De-Extinction”

Hey folks. I have an important milestone to report on my book, “The Ethics of De-Extinction.” I just finished the Introduction.

I started the book by trying to answer the question: why are we so obsessed with de-extinction? Before I got into the science, the ethics, and the policy, I wanted to understand the human emotion fueling our attraction.

In this section, I discuss:

Jurassic Park: The power of popular fiction and scientific fact to fascinate and inspire.

Playing God: An ancient human desire to push beyond our limits and test our boundaries.

Frankenstein: The twin anxiety about unleashing forces we don’t understand and our responsibility to fix what is broken.

Undoing the past: A deep sense of guilt over our lost species and a powerful desire to “correct” the past.

The introduction also lays the groundwork for the rest of the book, which will focus on “how” and “should we.” I’m so excited to have this first piece of the book behind me.

Now, I have a question for you: What is the strongest driver of the de-extinction movement in your opinion? Is it hubris, guilt, or curiosity?