Just now on Twitter.

[Brian37]

Dude seriously, if you are willing to argue on a personal level that I am not important, how hard is it to figure out in the history of the universe that our species is not important? 

Humans are only important to us, while we exist. But we are not important in the scope of billions of years.

When did I argue that you’re not important?

NO species is important on a scale of billions of years, so I don’t see the relevance of singling out humans in that regard.

But we are unquestionably the most important species on this planet, right now, in regards to ourselves and to every other extant species.

Boru

No we are not. I only agree that we are important to our own species survival. But outside that, just ask the dinosaurs how the were able to negotiate the meteor that killed them.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

When did I argue that you’re not important?

NO species is important on a scale of billions of years, so I don’t see the relevance of singling out humans in that regard.

But we are unquestionably the most important species on this planet, right now, in regards to ourselves and to every other extant species.

Boru

No we are not. I only agree that we are important to our own species survival. But outside that, just ask the dinosaurs how the were able to negotiate the meteor that killed them.

What other species are capable of preventing the extinction of other species? Are humpback whales going to save gorillas, or are pangolins going to be brought back from the brink by the efforts of California condors?

We have the potential to save every endangered species. Since no other species has that potential, we ARE the most important. 

Boru

[Brian37]

No we are not. I only agree that we are important to our own species survival. But outside that, just ask the dinosaurs how the were able to negotiate the meteor that killed them.

What other species are capable of preventing the extinction of other species? Are humpback whales going to save gorillas, or are pangolins going to be brought back from the brink by the efforts of California condors?

We have the potential to save every endangered species. Since no other species has that potential, we ARE the most important. 

Boru

Not the point.

Humans are our own worst enemy. Sure we put humans on the moon, and have man made objects that are now outside our solar system. Good for us. But we are also the same species that will murder each other over a god or politics. And we are the same species that has profited off of burning fossil fuels for a century despite warnings from scientists saying we need to stop.

You are only talking about our own self importance, and in that context we are important, but only to ourselves. We are also capable of our own self destruction. In the context of 4 billion years, and 5 mass extinctions, the earth, our solar system, much less the universe, isn't capable of giving one crap about one species.

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I think Sagan's Pale Blue Dot Speech says it best. 

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

What other species are capable of preventing the extinction of other species? Are humpback whales going to save gorillas, or are pangolins going to be brought back from the brink by the efforts of California condors?

We have the potential to save every endangered species. Since no other species has that potential, we ARE the most important. 

Boru

Not the point.

Humans are our own worst enemy. Sure we put humans on the moon, and have man made objects that are now outside our solar system. Good for us. But we are also the same species that will murder each other over a god or politics. And we are the same species that has profited off of burning fossil fuels for a century despite warnings from scientists saying we need to stop.

You are only talking about our own self importance, and in that context we are important, but only to ourselves. We are also capable of our own self destruction. In the context of 4 billion years, and 5 mass extinctions, the earth, our solar system, much less the universe, isn't capable of giving one crap about one species.

---

I think Sagan's Pale Blue Dot Speech says it best. 

It's exactly the point. You keep saying - without evidence or argument - that humans are only important to humans. You can't seem to grasp that it is our potential and our abilities that make us (for good or ill) the most important species on the planet.

Boru