> As philosophers, what reasons can we give for calling human life valuable?
Life is valuable to the living on one basis and one basis only; it’s the one gift all living things receive, and the only thing all living things run out of… their time is their most finite resource.
Human life, specifically, is no more or less valuable than any other life, although both religions and philosophies like to pretend otherwise.
I am always surprised to read articles that appear to be written by people so disconnected from their own consciousness and value of their own life.
If I value my own life, it follows that I will value yours. Without this fundamental pillar, all that is built without it is unstable and rotten. This is not to be understood rationally. It’s either something you know, or you don’t. If you don’t, what I am saying will sound like religion or superstition.
I’ll also add that your rights end when they conflict with my rights. Finding a way to live with this conflict appears to be the primary “lesson” we are learning together as conscious beings.
It’s sad. I don’t even know why I am writing this.
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[ 3.3 ms ] story [ 18.1 ms ] threadLife is valuable to the living on one basis and one basis only; it’s the one gift all living things receive, and the only thing all living things run out of… their time is their most finite resource.
Human life, specifically, is no more or less valuable than any other life, although both religions and philosophies like to pretend otherwise.
"pretend" is a little too harsh; "insist" is more like it. And for good reason, because...
> Human life, specifically, is no more or less valuable than any other life
...is considered harmful.
Not if the human beings involved are doing their math correctly.
And, no, it’s not at all harsh… if religions and philosophies both agree on it, you know it’s a lie.
If I value my own life, it follows that I will value yours. Without this fundamental pillar, all that is built without it is unstable and rotten. This is not to be understood rationally. It’s either something you know, or you don’t. If you don’t, what I am saying will sound like religion or superstition.
I’ll also add that your rights end when they conflict with my rights. Finding a way to live with this conflict appears to be the primary “lesson” we are learning together as conscious beings.
It’s sad. I don’t even know why I am writing this.