Do you value human life above other life?

Discussion in 'Ethics, Morality, & Justice' started by ashura, Aug 16, 2008.

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Do you value human life above other life?

  1. Yes

    84.6%
  2. No

    15.4%
  1. ashura the Old Right Registered Senior Member

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    For Enmos' sake. And of course, avoid specifics. I'm not asking if you'd save Hitler over a chihuahua. In general, do you value human life over the life of other species?
     
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  3. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    Depends, between a human turd and my cat, I choose my cat.
     
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  5. CutsieMarie89 Zen Registered Senior Member

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    It would depend on how each of these lives related to me. If I had to choose between killing my dog and so guy I'd never met. I think I would choose my dog, he's like family to me, even though he isn't human.
     
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  7. joepistole Deacon Blues Valued Senior Member

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    I do value human life above others and for this reason, I believe humans have an obligation to every other life form on Earth. As the intelligent being, as the being with the most ability, we have a duty to see to the welfare of every other creature on Earth. So the privilage is also bound with an obligation.

    It is in many ways like a sibling relationship.
     
  8. Norsefire Salam Shalom Salom Registered Senior Member

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    Innocent Human life, yes. Criminals, no.
     
  9. tablariddim forexU2 Valued Senior Member

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    If I saw a person wilfully torture an animal, I would wish them dead; if they were doing it to my dog, I could kill them myself with no remorse.
     
  10. orcot Valued Senior Member

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    ... I had meatloaf this evening and it was good
    Does that count as a answer?

    needles to say we give greater value to the things closes to us. For example we would be more obset if our boiler broke down then when some town in the tanzania got whiped out by a mudslide.
     
  11. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    absolutely. If my kids are starving, I will kill every last panda on the planet to feed them.
    It makes my eye twitch to see kids starving while Paris Hilton's dog has a $10,000 diamond collar.
    Its why my family donates to Heifer Intl and not a save the environment/whales/panda/etc organization.
     
  12. Norsefire Salam Shalom Salom Registered Senior Member

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    Human life is the only valuable life because Humans are the only self-aware creatures.

    Without self awareness, you cannot have self value. We Humans value ourselves. Other creatures, in that they are not self aware, do not value themselves.
     
  13. CutsieMarie89 Zen Registered Senior Member

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    Yeah I think it has a lot more to do with how close you are to things. Although I donate to any organization that has a notable cause and asks me for a donation, I can't really honestly say that I care more about the people starving all over the world than I care about saving the Manatees. As far as I'm concerned they are equal endeavors that I spent a dollar on or volunteered my time to if I don't have any money to give (which is more often than I would like). I'm so poor.

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  14. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    valuing a life is called self preservation. Every animal has that, but humans have it to a lesser extent. We die to save our young. Animals save themselves. They may try to protect their young, but they will save themselves first.
     
  15. Norsefire Salam Shalom Salom Registered Senior Member

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    Animals do it only because it's instinctive, i.e, survival is the top goal. Humans can give value to things, whether it be emotional value, moral value, artistic value, etc, we are more abstract. And we also give ourselves value. We are aware of ourselves as individuals.
     
  16. CutsieMarie89 Zen Registered Senior Member

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    How do you know that?
     
  17. Norsefire Salam Shalom Salom Registered Senior Member

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    Scientific studies have been done. Animals, for instance, when looking in a mirror are not aware that they are looking at themselves. There are ways of measuring self awareness. Animals are more like computers, in that they operate without knowing they operate, than Human beings.
     
  18. CutsieMarie89 Zen Registered Senior Member

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    I disagree. Many animals like some humans put their life on the line everyday to protect things that are important to them. Didn't you watch Bambi?

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    But more realistically haven't you ever heard of dogs dying protecting their owners or a mother fighting a losing battle against a predator just to keep them from her young.
     
  19. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    You've never seen a chicken fight for her chicks or a cat for her kittens, have you?
     
  20. Norsefire Salam Shalom Salom Registered Senior Member

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    That's instinct. You've never seen the newly borns eat their mother for food after they hatch have you?

    In other words, what I mean to say is, Animals operate only on instinct; Humans operate on far higher and superior levels.
     
  21. CutsieMarie89 Zen Registered Senior Member

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    Neither do babies. They also think that if you cover something up it disappears, thats why they get confused when you play peek a boo and then are relieved when they see you again. They learn that the baby in the mirror is them. Just like your puppy might bark at the puppy in the mirror, but I think most learn that the thing in the mirror is them. At least my dog used to bark at the puppy in the mirror, but now he knows its just his reflection it doesn't phase him at all.
     
  22. Norsefire Salam Shalom Salom Registered Senior Member

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    Babies mature and grow more complex. Most animals, at their peak intelligence, are less intelligent than said babies.
     
  23. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    25,817
    fight yes, die no.
    I've seen cows and ewes stand down against a coyote. A pack of coyotes they walk away from.
     

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