What's in a Value?

Posted by rpnolet on 01-24-2008 in Are humans the most valuable organisms on the planet?

When we begin to talk about value, we need to define it, other posters have put forth some excellent ideas.
But I wonder, is it possible to place a value on a life form based on it's importance to the over all system? For instance, if you remove say the Dodo bird from an ecosystem, how many other species will be affected? It turns out that this question is incredibly difficult to answer until the said species has been removed. No one expected the calvaria tree to become extinct after the Dodo, but it turned out that the tree needed the bird to help break down the out shell of the seed pods so they could sprout.
Now I don't want to stray too far from the topic, but this illustrates the complexity of life and to think that there are organism of higher or lower value requires an understanding of the global ecosystem we do not yet have.
Now my argument is predicated on using the value system I set forth, it does not hold if, for instance you use "the ability to do good" as others have suggested.


Perhaps we should refine the question before debating an answer?

Thank you, I look forward to any responses.