Book Quote by Holmes Rolston III
“Destroying species is like tearing pages out of an unread book, written in a language humans hardly know how to read, about the place where they live.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Environmental Ethics, Holmes Rolston III, 1995
Destroying species erases unknown knowledge, like tearing unread pages from a book we cannot read.
In simple terms: Species loss removes unknown knowledge.
Key Takeaway
Protect biodiversity to preserve future insight.
Themes
environment
biodiversity
knowledge
ignorance
Mood
concerned
hopeful
Type
ethical
environmental
When to use this quote
- conservation projects
- policy making
- education programs
Key Concepts
ecosystem services
ethical responsibility
Questions to Reflect On
- What unknown benefits might species hold?
- How can we value unknown ecosystems?
A Different Perspective
The analogy assumes all species hold unique value, which may be debated.
