The Next 500 Years #2

This [awareness of extinction of all life] gives us an awesome responsibility, power, and opportunity to become the universe's shepherds and guardians of all life-forms – quite literally a duty to the universe – to preserve life. This means we need to prevent the death of not only our species, but of all species on which we depend and any others we may find that are or were threatened – thus, all current, future, and even past life-forms (through de-extinction). This duty is not only for us, but for any species or entities who can engineer themselves to avoid the end of the universe. Even if our species does not survive, this duty is passed on to the next sentience, which will undoubtedly arise.

Christopher E. Mason - The Next 500 Years