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Originally Posted by Master_Shake
Hey, I'm not trying to make money off the birds. I just don't see how it benefits me to have the bird protected, in fact, I don't see how it benefits anybody.
Also, if you think the bird has some value other than economic, what kind of value is that? And why is that value important?
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What is the value in a forest? Aside from the obvious side effect of keeping us alive, I mean.
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Originally Posted by Master_Shake
Even if we let the bird survive we're never going to give it free reign to do as it likes. The choice you're giving us seems to be:
a. Exterminate the species
b. Forever imprison it in federal land.
I'm not sure which is really worse for the bird as a species, to be eliminated through natural selection or to become a species perpetually frozen in time.
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This wouldn't really be considered natural selection since we destroyed its habitat. That's not particularly natural. All human beings do is screw up natural selection with intelligence. Now, don't get me wrong; I think we have the most right to be here and if it's between a human and a bird I'll pick the human. But if I can preserve a species and thus the diversity of the planet without inconveniencing mankind, I'll do it in a heartbeat.
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Originally Posted by Master_Shake
EDIT:
Maybe the definition of value you are using fits under #4 but I think that's stretching it. If you mean it is important for bio-diversity or some such thing then say so, don't try to obscure things by claiming it has value.
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I didn't bother to put in your dictionary definition because I don't care what the American Heritage folks have to say about a word. I know it's important that we preserve nature for future generations. We don't really need to go all the way down to species, do we? One from each Genus, or maybe Family if we're feeling generous should be enough. Sorry, rest of the primates. We took your slot.
I'm not trying to obscure things, as you put it; this bird isn't on trial here. I'm just saying it might be nice if we went the extra five feet and kept the species around. You are saying let it die because it doesn't affect you. A+ for self-involvement.