The question of whether human extinction would matter is a complex and intriguing one. At its core, it’s a query about the nature of values and their existence. If human beings were to cease to exist, who would be left to bemoan our demise? The answer, it seems, is no one. And if there is no one to lament our passing, can it be said that our extinction would be a bad thing? The absence of human beings would mean the absence of valuers, and without valuers, values would cease to exist.
This idea is rooted in the concept that values are not inherent to the universe, but rather are created by human beings through our unique capacity for normative engagement with the world. We are capable of choosing to follow rules, of judging things as having greater or lesser value, and of reflecting on the world and our place in it. This capacity for valuation is what sets us apart from other creatures and allows us to imbue the world with meaning and significance.
The analogy with personal death is a useful one. When we die, our individual perspective, our values, and our capacity for judgment cease to exist. We are no longer present to care about what happens after we’re gone, and our death marks the end of our ability to value or disvalue anything. Similarly, if human beings were to become extinct, our collective capacity for valuation would disappear, leaving behind a universe devoid of values and meaning.
The possibility of alien life or a hypothetical God-like perspective is often raised as a counterpoint, but these scenarios are speculative and unlikely. Even if such entities existed, they would need to be capable of making value judgments in order for our extinction to have any meaning. But as far as we know, we are alone in the universe, and our extinction would mark the end of valuation as we know it.
The implications of this idea are profound. If human beings are the sole valuers in the universe, then our extinction would mean the end of values, not just on Earth, but in the universe as a whole. The stars would still explode, planets would still orbit, but there would be no one to judge these events as good or bad, meaningful or meaningless. The universe would be stripped of its value and significance, leaving behind only a vast, indifferent expanse.
In conclusion, the question of whether human extinction would matter is a complex and multifaceted one. At its heart, it’s a query about the nature of values and their existence. If human beings were to cease to exist, our capacity for valuation would disappear, leaving behind a universe devoid of meaning and significance. This realization should prompt us to reflect on the importance of human existence and the values we hold dear, for in the end, it is our existence that gives the universe its value and significance.
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