Here is the google-drive version of the Antonelli et al. letter to the editor in response to Pyron:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1VJuKuXDP62NQcBdIuIkCi-LqMyRbORv2 Cheers, Tom Thomas J. Givnish Henry Allan Gleason Professor of Botany University of Wisconsin-Madison [email protected] ________________________________ From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news <[email protected]> on behalf of Andrew Barton <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, November 27, 2017 6:52 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Editorial on Not Saving Endangered Species The facts of Dr. Pyron's essay are beside the point. This is not so much a scientific argument as a values one. Here's what I wrote to the Washington Post in response to his essay. "This is a blunt anthropocentric value statement masquerading as a scientific essay. We don't need all the science surrounding these arguments. They are accurate enough. (I'm also an academic biologist, and I also teach these concepts and examples.) Dr. Pyron could have simply written: "Enough of worrying about other species. We humans won the evolutionary battle, other species have no value except as they contribute to our well-being, and so who cares whether the others go extinct. Long live humans." That viewpoint is abhorrent to me, and it has contributed mightily to the path that has led us to environmental destruction, threatening many species, including humans." On Mon, Nov 27, 2017 at 6:03 PM, Angela Demarse <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: Thank you for sharing, Howard. This article embodies my (previously) closeted skepticism/nihilistic perspective about conservation of species. Despite that skepticism, when I think of all the diversity that's vanished, I feel an intense loss. I don't have enough research under my belt to dispute any of the facts in this article, but I'd love to know if anyone could present a strong argument (or further readings) for the benefits of protecting species diversity? Best wishes, Angela Demarse On Nov 27, 2017 5:37 PM, "Howard S. Neufeld" <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: All - This editorial, by Biology Professor R. Alexander Pyron, George Washington University, appeared in the Washington Post on November 22. The title is: "We Don't Need to Save Endangered Species. Extinction is Part of Evolution". I haven't seen any comments about this editorial on this listserve, but I can tell you that it will be a focus of discussion in my Honors class next semester. What do you all think about it? Click HERE<https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/we-dont-need-to-save-endangered-species-extinction-is-part-of-evolution/2017/11/21/57fc5658-cdb4-11e7-a1a3-0d1e45a6de3d_story.html?utm_term=.52c3dcfcad63> to access the editorial. Howie Neufeld -- Dr. Howard S. Neufeld, Professor Mailing Address: Department of Biology 572 Rivers St. Appalachian State University Boone, NC 28608 Tel: 828-262-2683<tel:(828)%20262-2683>; Fax 828-262-2127<tel:(828)%20262-2127> Websites: Academic: http://biology.appstate.edu/faculty-staff/104 Personal: http://www.appstate.edu/~neufeldhs/index.html Fall Colors Academic: http://biology.appstate.edu/fall-colors Fall Colors Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FallColorGuy -- Dr. Andrew Barton Professor of Biology University of Maine at Farmington 173 High Street, Preble Hall Farmington, ME 04938 [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Faculty Coordinator UMF Sustainable Campus Coalition sustainablecampus.umf.maine.edu<http://sustainablecampus.umf.maine.edu>
