TL;DR - Of course humans create problems, but the extinction of humanity would be a great tragedy

It is within our human nature to want to continue to human race. Experience tells us that throughout history, the aim has always been to continue humanity. This is mirrored in the animal kingdom with animals continuing their species. This innate feeling then would show how we, as humans, feel our extinction would be a tragedy.

I think there is an argument that the impact of humans on the earth, animals and environment is often extensive and catastrophic at times. With that in mind I can understand the extinction of humans would lead to a ‘better’ world. But this disregards the wonder an exceptional capabilities that humans have in comparison to other species on Earth.

I think that the idea of ‘humans being extinct benefiting the world’ is ignoring a major point. As much as we have often animalistic behaviours, we also act in a way of [reason and we experience] (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/17/opinion/human-extinction-climate-change.html) the world in a different way to most other species. We create arts, philosophy, democracy and we encourage knowledge and understanding. For this approach to be wiped out with the human race would, in my opinion, be a tragedy.

TL;DR: Human extinction will save the planet

• Human extinction, just like the extinction of every other animal, is inevitable. Scientists speculate that of all the species that have ever lived, 99.9% of them are now extinct. This is not tragedy, this is simply the way that life plays out. Humans have only existed for 0.002% of the Earth’s history; the Earth will outlive us, and this is no bad thing.

• Most scientists agree that there have been 5 mass extinctions in the last 600 million years, and many argue that we are currently going through the 6th. The current rate of species extinction is 100 times faster than the estimated average of previous extinction rates. It is thought that humankind and our fossil fuels are to blame for this acceleration. With human extinction, other species could recover from our effects on the environment and live longer themselves. Our extinction could potentially contribute positively to other life on Earth, and so could in some ways be seen as a positive.

• Technically speaking, human extinction would not be a tragedy because, as far as we know, only humans have a concept of tragedy. If humankind were wiped out, there would be no one left to regret or perceive our demise as tragic.

This depends on the circumstances of this extinction. It would be a tragedy if it was caused by a disaster or by something like climate change, but not if we simply stopped reproducing.

Looking at it logically. We have 2 sides to our nature as regards this contention. The first is the side of us that is creatve and intelligent. This side of us creates art and machinery and devices, to make day to day tasks of living more easier and more pleasant. This side of us also has the ability to understand the nature and the universe; down to the atomic level and up to the order of seasons and insights into our own nature.

However we also seem to have a self-destructive side. This side of us that is war-like, out of harmony with nature and due to our mastery o f nature, has the ability to cause greater and greater harm, to all other species and all harmony, the longer we exist.

If our second side wins out and we destroy ourselves, it is strong evidence, that our demise will limit the huge amount of damage our continued existence could do to other species and to other intelligent life in the universe, (That is, if we should ever meet them.)

If we do destroy ourselves our self-destructive side is stronger than our creative and harmonising side, and so our demise is a good thing for whoever or whatever is left.

People focus so hard on how much damage we do to the planet, they forget that we are the first species ever to recognize asteroids. We even have space travel. We're obsessed with getting to other planets. And we're the first species to develop this style of intellect, so if we disappear, this type of opportunity isn't likely to evolve again before the planet's surface is literally inhospitable for complex life. Be it because of asteroids or the finite life of our star.

Humans are life's extremely long term, only hope.