If We Can Dream It, We Can Build It!

Being a weird guy, I was delighted by yesterday's edition of the Diane Rehm Show, which included Elizabeth Kolbert talking about the Sixth Extinction.

Unfortunately, Diane was trying to swim in the Deep End of the Pool, so she was way out of her depth. Thus the show was called "Bringing Extinct Species Back To Life"—the de-extinction fantasy/stunt/sideshow—and thus Diane also included delusional fantasist Ryan Phelan in the discussion. Ms. Phelan is the executive director of Revive and Restore, which advances "genetic rescue for endangered and extinct species."

What made this so entertaining for the weird is that everytime Kolbert had a chance, and she got several, she dismissed the de-extinction fantasy in no uncertain terms. I mean, she skewered this Phelan woman, just absolutely schooled her.

Ms. Phelan was well aware that this was happening. Finally, near the end of the show, out of sheer frustration with the fact that Kolbert was once again pointing out just how delusional she is, Ms. Phelan summarized characteristic human cognition in only nine words.

If we can dream it, we can build it!

Wow.

Somehow, everyone (including Kolbert) failed to talk about the real subject on the table. That subject is Human Nature. Here are a few questions to get the discussion going.

What kind of species would be causing a Sixth Extinction comparable to the Big Five of the Phanerozoic Eon?

What kind of species is equivalent (in Kolbert's analogy) to the asteroid which polished off the dinosaurs?

Follow the link (first paragraph) to listen yesterday's Diane Rehm show, or download the audio (for Windows media).

Have a nice weekend.

Bonus Video — Biologist David Ehrenfeld debunks de-extinction.