I accept that Terry is "no longer home," but was still of the probably misinformed opinion that she could still feel pain and hunger. Any living thing will act as much as possible to avoid pain and hunger, so I didn't think Terry wouldn't feel those things, as much as she could. I heard her mental state was like that of a young infant. A quick and painless death is greatly preferred wherever death is indicated: a lamb for the dinner table, an unwanted fetus, a dangerous killer, a grievously injured or ill person or animal who has no chance of recovery. Some people think death is never indicated, but even pro-life, anti-death penalty vegans have to kill plants to live
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Re: continuedlikethewatchMarch 29 2005, 13:16:48 UTC
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Hi back! Oy, all this ethical discussion. I may weigh in again, but it seems we are in agreement on something existing, which you have described beautifully as the narrative of our lives, that is of itself valuable. The way the world is these days, it's easy to lose sight of that, although I think the framers of our Constitution also believed in its value.
For similar reasons, I've always been unnerved by posters that pro-life groups occasionally put up on campus which say (essentially, and sometimes verbatim) "Aren't you glad your mother chose life?"
It's freaky. I'm being asked to empathize with an entity whose DEFINING QUALITY is never having had consciousness nor having any hope of ever doing so.
I enjoy existing, so to imagine never having existed makes me a little sad. But who's sad? ME! If I'm sad, clearly I'm not imagining the situation accurately enough.
(Obviously, I don't think that these posters being stupid is ipso facto proof that all pro-life arguments are stupid. And in particular, someone who thinks fetuses are ensouled at the moment of conception and who believes in an afterlife would see no problem.)
I enjoy existing, so to imagine never having existed makes me a little sad. But who's sad? ME! If I'm sad, clearly I'm not imagining the situation accurately enough.
*grin* enough to make your head hurt :)
And in particular, someone who thinks fetuses are ensouled at the moment of conception and who believes in an afterlife would see no problem.)true enough. But I like this question for folks who hold that position
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Hi back! Oy, all this ethical discussion. I may weigh in again, but it seems we are in agreement on something existing, which you have described beautifully as the narrative of our lives, that is of itself valuable. The way the world is these days, it's easy to lose sight of that, although I think the framers of our Constitution also believed in its value.
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It's freaky. I'm being asked to empathize with an entity whose DEFINING QUALITY is never having had consciousness nor having any hope of ever doing so.
I enjoy existing, so to imagine never having existed makes me a little sad. But who's sad? ME! If I'm sad, clearly I'm not imagining the situation accurately enough.
(Obviously, I don't think that these posters being stupid is ipso facto proof that all pro-life arguments are stupid. And in particular, someone who thinks fetuses are ensouled at the moment of conception and who believes in an afterlife would see no problem.)
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*grin* enough to make your head hurt :)
And in particular, someone who thinks fetuses are ensouled at the moment of conception and who believes in an afterlife would see no problem.)true enough. But I like this question for folks who hold that position ( ... )
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