[mjolnir]

I'm not a watermelon, but I do get annoyed with the idea of humanity knocking off entire species either by accident or deliberately, if we can reasonably avoid doing so. This planet is, for the foreseeable future, our home; we should take care of it with the same diligence we should have in maintaining and cleaning our individual homes.

But is species extinction in itself such a problem? I agree that there are many species I would not like to see become extinct, but there are also many species I would enjoy seeing gone--- the tsete flies mosquitos, rinos...

[AndyJackson]

But is species extinction in itself such a problem?

Well, yes. In an ice age or a period of global warning, a species might become extinct that might be your favorite food group or favorite source of shelter from the sun or warmth from the cold during the next cyclic extreme.

[BeHoldAPaleHorse]

But is species extinction in itself such a problem?

It can be, if it eliminates redundancy in a critical ecospheric niche, because you're then hoping that some virus doesn't evolve to wipe out that last remaining "system" in that niche.