De-extinction may be inevitable, but we should still ask questions | Amy Fletcher | TEDxChristchurch

When most people think about de-extinction, they think about Jurassic Park: bringing dinosaurs back to life with a bit of amber-encrusted genetic material. But de-extinction is happening in the here and now. So what questions should we be asking? What are the political, philosophical and ethical implications? And who should be involved in the conversation?

Amy Fletcher is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Canterbury, who specializes in science, technology and environmental politics. Prior to moving to New Zealand to take up a Lecturer's post in 2000, she worked as a Legislative Assistant in the United States House of Representatives on telecommunications and technology issues. Born in Huntsville, Alabama, because her Dad worked on the Moon test rockets in the 1960s, she has a lifelong interest in the public dimensions of technology. She recently published Mendel's Ark: Biotechnology and the Future of Extinction (2014) and is currently working on a project that analyzes the implications of artificial intelligence and robotics for the future of employment in the United States. She is the Associate Editor of Politics and Life Sciences Journal (Cambridge University Press) and an expert panel member for TechCast Global, based in Washington, D.C.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx