A scientist wonders what would happen if all the trees in the Amazon rain forest were cut down. Which of the following is the most ethical reason for running a simulation rather than cutting down all the trees in a rain forest?

It would be unethical and illogical to perform an experiment in the Amazon itself just to answer this curiosity. We make experiments to answer questions about the natural world but never to harm or endanger it in any way. As much as possible, we do little damage to the nature rhat we value in performing scientific investigations.