Ebook: Jurassic Park and philosophy: the truth is terrifying

Twenty-one philosophers investigate the implications of the Jurassic Park franchise for our lives, our values, and our future. Human beings live and thrive by modifying nature, but when do the risks of changing nature outweigh the likely benefits? If it's true that Life will find a way, should we view any modified or newly reconstituted life as a hazard? The new scientific information we could gain by bringing back T. Rex or other dinosaurs is immense, but should we choose to let sleeping dinosaurs lie? And if we do bring them back by reconstituting them from ancient DNA, are they really what they were, or is something missing? How do the different forces -- human curiosity, profitability, and philanthropy -- interact to determine what actually happens in such cases? What moral standards should be applied to those who try to bring back lost worlds? The idea of bringing back the dead and the powerful is not limited to biological species. It also applies to bringing back old gods, old philosophies, old institutions, and old myths. If revived and once again let loose to walk the Earth, these too may turn out to be more dangerous than we bargained for.;We Spared No Expense -- PRESENT AT THE CREATION -- Damn You, Michael Crichton! / Nicolas Michaud and Jessica Watkins -- Let the Raptors Run! / Greg Littmann -- The Past in a Petri Dish / David Freeman -- Runaway Memes / Brendan Shea -- Beer and Dinosaurs / Adam Barkman and Nathan Verbaan -- LIFE HAS LOST ITS WAY -- Why Not Play God? / Vincent Billard -- Is the Essence in the Amber? / Evan Edwards -- Bring Back the Dinosaurs! / John R. Fitzpatrick -- Flea-Market Capitalism / Timothy Sexton -- Do Dinosaurs Really Scare Us? / Michael J. Muniz -- UNNATURAL SELECTION -- What's It Like to Be a T. rex? / Rick Stoody -- Feathering the Truth / Brandon Kempner -- Raptor Rights / John V. Karavitis -- If Dinosaurs Were People ... / Skyler King -- Who Gets a Second Chance? / Lisa Kadonaga -- STAYING ALIVE -- Superiority Is Our Weakness? / Christopher Ketcham -- You Monkeywrenching Bastard! / Seth M. Walker -- What We Leave Behind / Tim Jones -- It's Only Natural to Blame Technology / Daniel Kokotz -- Decline of the Meatosaurus / Kenn Fisher -- How Ethics Can Save You from Being Eaten / Roger Hunt -- DEATH IS MY DESTINATION -- When You Go Extinct, You Don't Get to Come Back / Nicolas Michaud -- Playing God in Jurassic Park / Jeff Ewing -- How Much Are Your Grandchildren Worth? / Janelle Potzsch -- Chaos and the Inevitable Collapse / David L. Morgan -- A T. rex Swallowed My Pride / Michael D. Stark and A.G. Holdier -- How to Avoid Extinction / Trip McCrossin.