They're difficult questions. I addressed the first one in the article below. The second question, about the preciousness of life I've addressed in various places. The answer is bound to be anthropocentric and subjective in certain ways since the rest of the universe couldn't possibly care one way or the other, and thus couldn't regard us as precious.

One way of answering it is to compare adults to babies, in that both are pathetic and pitiful in the greater scheme; both have potentials that could be fulfilled, but both are fragile and easily led astray or obstructed. From the cosmic vantage point, as it were, we're all as precious as adults regard babies.

https://medium.com/the-philosophers-stone/how-pessimists-should-avoid-despair-9421374c0209?sk=2883a2944eb0cee1b45e1d9c093ae1bf