Political Animals

Scientific American reports:

Scientists want politics kept out of endangered species decisions
Some 1,293 scientists have sent a letter to each and every U.S. senator urging them not to support any endangered species legislation that is based on politics rather than science.

But the very existence of an “endangered species act” is politics. Whether we care about endangered species is an ethical question; whether we have the right to force other people to follow our opinions on the matter is a further ethical question; when we decide we can, and support laws that enable us, that is the tip of an entire political philosophy. So it is remarkably disingenuous to then say keep politics out of it: politics is in it root and branch. What it actually means is: agree with our politics, then shut up and let us rule.

I am a scientist, and I am all for doing something to protect endangered species as I think they have a value: a value to human beings. But far more important than that is promoting and preserving a political system that honours the individual rights of human beings. If you want to protect endangered species: find a way to do it without initiating physical force (including by law) against other people. If you can’t even do that: by what criterion are you and your opinions fit to rule them?