Playing Jesus to Save Species: A Virtue Ethics Approach to Biotech De-Extinction Projects

Abstract The accelerating loss of biodiversity due to human activity presents a profound ethical dilemma. While conservation biology has typically focused on instrumental and intrinsic values, this paper argues for a virtue ethics approach, particularly in the context of controversial biotechnological interferences such as de-extinction. Drawing from virtue ethics, we explore whether “playing Jesus” to revive species like the thylacine can be a morally virtuous act, balancing respect for nature with care. Through a nuanced examination of species value, moral responsibilities, and the human role in species extinction, we suggest that understanding species preservation or revival through the lens of virtue ethics offers a more comprehensive moral framework than traditional approaches.