The direction and the success of a species is determined by it's living members, especially when there are fewer living members. If a species is extinct any sense of morality or anything is moot, it is no longer a contributor to general existence, unless of course it turned into crude oil but that's another matter.

The direction and success of a species can also be a factor of its dead members and how willing they were to sacrifice their lives for the greater good. As an example, take a human hand. While it's being created it's more like a paddle, how is it that fingers actually form? Fingers form because cells that find themselves between the fingers die off to allow them to separate.

So it is with any species, if members are willing to make a stand for something the outcome can be greater by far than if everyone got to live a peaceful idyllic life.

Three cheers for soldiers and sucide bombers. Sorry bad joke.

Fitzgerald Scott