Why is a human life sacred?

[r3vbr]

Why do we value life so much? Is this because we want to protect our own lives, therefore saying that all human life is important, and defending the spread of these values, as a way to lessen the chances of we ourselves being harmed by others in a sort of game theory rationale?

In this line of though, I have never understood laws such as:
1) not being able to kill yourself (they will handcuff you or something like that so that you cant do yourself harm)
2) not being able to assist suicide (euthanasia)
3) being wrong to kill certain types of handicapped (such as the brain-dead vegitative people) even without its consent (wich is impossible to get given the condition)

Also, why is mass sterilization of the genetically-transferable handicapped wrong? (say a person has a huge chance of having retard children because they themselves are retarded) Seems to me that some people will never be able to support themselves due to some phisical or mental condition, and the state/society will have to carry the burden. Why is it not right to force sterilization (being a better alternative in my view than killing deformed babies)? Oh and before someone says it, just because the nazis did it doesnt mean it wasnt a good idea.

[yukoncpa]

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1) not being able to kill yourself

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A throw back to an old Roman law. It was traditional to kill yourself for honorable reasons in Rome, so the government made it illegal, so that it could confiscate the property of the wealthy, honorable people, upon their suicide.

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Also, why is mass sterilization of the genetically-transferable handicapped wrong?


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Well, eugenics was a huge issue just over a century ago. Like global warming is today. Everyone, and all the media were all for it here in the United States. Problem is, all the hoopla over eugenics disappeared after World War II, when the world saw the results taken to it’s extreme.

Bottom line, who would you suggest be put in a position to chose who should be sterilized or not?

[hmkpoker]

http://www.geocities.com/fang_club/every_sperm_is_sacred1.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/fang_club/every_sperm_is_sacred2.jpg

[Duke]

Only by valuing every single human life can we defeat natural selection. That'll show nature!

[chezlaw]

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In this line of though, I have never understood laws such as:
1) not being able to kill yourself (they will handcuff you or something like that so that you cant do yourself harm)
2) not being able to assist suicide (euthanasia)
3) being wrong to kill certain types of handicapped (such as the brain-dead vegitative people) even without its consent (wich is impossible to get given the condition)

[/ QUOTE ]
1) the law is a ass
2) the principle behind the law is a ass.
3) the law seems fine. We do allow the 'killing' of brain dead people. the argument is about whether they are brain dead.

chez

[Hoi Polloi]

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Only by valuing every single human life can we defeat natural selection. That'll show nature!

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Are you saying our altruism in this matter has not been selected for?

[Duke]

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Only by valuing every single human life can we defeat natural selection. That'll show nature!

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Are you saying our altruism in this matter has not been selected for?

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Not at all. Altruism made a lot of sense for a long time, and still does (to a certain extent). We wouldn't be where we are without it. I guess I'm just bitching about the current trend of creating more stupid people relative to the general population. It's a viable strategy for now, but I don't like it long term.

[jogsxyz]

[ QUOTE ]


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Also, why is mass sterilization of the genetically-transferable handicapped wrong?


[/ QUOTE ]

Well, eugenics was a huge issue just over a century ago. Like global warming is today. Everyone, and all the media were all for it here in the United States. Problem is, all the hoopla over eugenics disappeared after World War II, when the world saw the results taken to it’s extreme.

Bottom line, who would you suggest be put in a position to chose who should be sterilized or not?

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The benevolent dictator.

[Philo]

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Why do we value life so much?

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Asking why we value human life is kinda' like asking why we want to be happy.