Doctoral Dissertation: The Science of the Endangered Species Act: The Committee on Rare and Endangered Wildlife Species, 1964-1973

虽然1973年《濒危物种法》的历史很丰富，但很少有人讨论科学在该法案的构建中的作用，特别是稀有和濒危野生动物物种委员会的贡献。该委员会，凭借美国体育渔业和野生动物局的组织结构，被指定为濒危野生动物的科学权威，并利用这一权力来发展濒危物种科学，并将其转化为最终导致该法案的政策。该项目探讨了科学政策和环境历史的这一未充分研究和关键部分。该委员会在发展该法的科学性方面发挥的核心作用体现在，该委员会制定了列入清单的标准，形成了用于执行该法的濒危物种清单。该委员会还参与起草该法及其前身的立法草案。这个科学史项目主要是知识性的，利用档案材料来追踪委员会用于创建濒危物种科学和政策的概念方法。然而，开放讨论的概念方法的范围受到当时联邦政府的机构组织的重要限制。该项目提供了一个重要的和仍然具有高度影响力的环境立法的历史发展的更丰富的理解，特别是因为它涉及到在政策的发展中使用科学。此外，目前关于生物多样性科学在制定环境政策中的作用的辩论代表了科学与政策互动的现代版本，因为它与物种和灭绝有关。要探索的情节是一个丰富的研究领域，为科学与社会之间正在进行的互动提供重要的见解。

While histories of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 are abundant, there is little discussion concerning the role of science in the construction of the Act and particularly the contributions of the Committee on Rare and Endangered Wildlife Species. The Committee, by virtue of the organizational structure of the US Bureau of Sports Fisheries and Wildlife, was designated as the scientific authority on endangered wildlife and used that authority to develop endangered species science that was translated into policy culminating in the Act. This project explores this understudied and critical piece of science-policy and environmental history. The Committee's central role in developing the science of the Act is demonstrated by the committee's development of the criteria for listing that shaped the endangered species lists used in the implementation of the Act. The Committee was also involved in writing draft legislation of the Act and its predecessors. This history of science project is largely intellectual, drawing on archival materials to trace the conceptual approach used by the Committee to create endangered species science and policy. However, the range of conceptual approaches open for discussion was importantly constrained by the institutional organization of the federal government at the time. This project offers a richer understanding of the historical development of an important and still highly influential piece of environmental legislation, particularly as it relates to the use of science in the development of policy. Furthermore, the current debates concerned with the role of biodiversity science in the creation of environmental policy represent a modern version of the science-policy interaction as it relates to species and extinction. The episode to be explored is a rich area of study for providing important insights concerning the ongoing interactions between science and society.