a newly formed human zygote..or a bumblebee

[Prodigy54321]

the murder of which should yield a greater punishment?

why?

[godBoy]

A zygote, because it's moral to place a higher value of life on human existence.

Ahhh, but a zygote is not yet a human - and a bumblebee is a fully grown organism! you say..

I dunno.. - I concede defeat [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] - I'd be interested in hearing others takes on this.

[Prodigy54321]

[ QUOTE ]
A zygote, because it's moral to place a higher value of life on human existence.


[/ QUOTE ]

not me...I personally place more moral responsibility on preserving which ever has a "higher" cognitive ability.

Bumblebee FTW!

what about a human zygote or a full grown chimp?

[Prodigy54321]

also, this actually has quite little to do with the other post...as far as the law is concerned..ANY human is given more rights than a chimp, even an infant child..

as appalling as it might sound, I might consider my responsibility as more to the chimp than the infant..(that's if I knew more about what exactly an infant thinks and feels vs a chimp..which I don't)

EDIT: so I don't think that this would have any impact on a state's abortion policy.

[revots33]

[ QUOTE ]
A zygote, because it's moral to place a higher value of life on human existence.


[/ QUOTE ]

Seriously though, isn't this just humans assigning themselves more importance, because we can? Not saying it's wrong... I'd kill 100 puppies and kittens to save a human member of my family. But I don't think that necessarily means it's the moral thing to do, because humans are inherently worth more. It's just my instinct to protect my own.

[godBoy]

[ QUOTE ]
what about a human zygote or a full grown chimp?

[/ QUOTE ]

My brain's pretty fried Prodigy [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img] -
I laughed and couldn't really come to any conclusions so I'll just say:

My personal opinion is that it depends on the circumstance.

If the zygote is 'on a sidewalk' and the chimp is loved - then I would place higher value on the chimp.

If the zygote is inside a mother who wants to take care of it - then I think the murder of the zygote would be worse than the murder of the chimp - Not that I would want to murder a chimp! there pretty cool little animals.

[godBoy]

Ohhh I thought of a good one! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[ QUOTE ]
not me...I personally place more moral responsibility on preserving which ever has a "higher" cognitive ability.

[/ QUOTE ]
So you consider it more moral to kill an idiot?

[godBoy]

The 'moral thing to do' is exactly what 'is considered to be right by humans' at the time. So in your example killing puppies for your family member it IS the moral thing to do.

[AlexM]

[ QUOTE ]
The 'moral thing to do' is exactly what 'is considered to be right by humans' at the time. So in your example killing puppies for your family member it IS the moral thing to do.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's a pretty crappy definition of morality.

[godBoy]

Morality refers to the concept of human ethics which pertains to matters of right and wrong - Make a better definition then - and don't post - That's pretty crappy...