The Case of the Snail Darter

The Snail Darter versus Tellico Dam case presents an interesting conundrum. That is, the value of species, or biodiversity as a whole, can be outweighed by economic interests. Evaluating the worth of an organism is a difficult task. Determination of economic value as well as an ethical consideration must occur to ascertain the value of an organism. In the case of the Snail Darter, an ethical evaluation must occur, as the economic value of such an organism is limited. Certain ethical questions arise when determining worth of an organism. Do all organisms hold the same intrinsic value? If so, how can we place more value upon one organism? Perhaps the organisms function within its ecosystem can be an evaluation tool. If the organism plays a central role in maintaining the balance of its ecosystem then we might conceivably place more worth upon that organism. Eliminating that organism would thus have effect on the ecosystem as a whole, and greater evaluation would be required.

 Many other questions arise when considering this dilemma. It seems that complexity of an organism would affect worth. For example, we seem to place more value upon organisms in the animal kingdom than the plant kingdom.  Additionally, Tennessee Senator Howard Baker stated, “We didn’t intend this Act to protect cold slimy things, but rather warm fuzzy things like eagles and polar bears.” Regarding this statement, an assessment of aesthetics possessed by an organism is necessary. Albeit aesthetics motivate many human behaviors, they should not play a role in matters such as this. Yet, these assessments of worth are only relevant if the evaluator holds one overlying belief – stewardship. If the evaluator has no interest in protecting resources, such as the snail darter, then no ethical assessment would be necessary.

The case of the Snail Darter versus Tellico Dam also provides insight into the nature of United States politics. Although dam construction was halted as a result of infringement of ESA, subsequent legislation was passed to allow for completion of the dam. In this case economic interests took precedence over ethical concerns - which seems to be a common theme in United States Politics. The protection of endangered species should be a priority in the United States as well as worldwide. Furthermore, the Endangered Species Act should be deemed unwavering. Species should be protected from extinction regardless of economic cost. Although we currently possess technology to revive extinct organisms, the economic cost to do so is still considerable. Also, extinction of a species may pose a threat to the stability of an ecosystem, as consequence of the interconnectedness of life. Construction on the Tellico Dam should have been halted to prevent detriments to the Snail Darter.