Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Atheist Exile on April 11, 2012 at 7:34pm

Read the preceding part of the thread.

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Permalink Reply by Afton Hardin on April 11, 2012 at 7:56pm

It's a vicious and never-ending circle.

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Permalink Reply by Atheist Exile on April 12, 2012 at 2:55am

Any proselytizing group.

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Permalink Reply by Atheist Exile on April 12, 2012 at 10:15am

Hey, you're right. I did mistype it. I should have copied and pasted it. Here's what you said:

You have not understood. I am not saying that all species are equal.Quite the opposite. What I am saying is that all species should have an equal consideration of their interests - we don't leave other species out just because they are from another species.

I'm actually beginning to believe you really don't see how dense that is. You're not saying all species are equal -- you're saying they should have an equal consideration of their interests.

Hello? Anybody home?

Those of us who have read your preaching know exactly what you mean . . . and when you're back-pedaling.

Permalink Reply by Atheist Exile on April 12, 2012 at 12:41pm

The error was in typing -- not in meaning. Your actual words were what were being challenged and that still stands. So no apology needed or offered.

Permalink Reply by Atheist Exile on April 12, 2012 at 12:47pm

@MikeyMike1,

I'm afraid you think and argue like a religious person. It's pointless . . . indeed, counterproductive . . . to engage you further.

Now I know what William G. McAdoo meant when he said,"It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in argument.”

I just wish I hadn't learned that so publicly.

Permalink Reply by Richard E. Robertson on April 12, 2012 at 12:54pm

When someone believes strongly about something and resists argument against their own position their arguments WILL sound religious. That's not an accident. It's best to lay out what evidence you have quietly and let them decide on their own. Otherwise you just create a defensive reaction. Why? Because our beliefs are part of our identity and we react strongly to anything we as a attack against them.

Permalink Reply by John Kelly on April 11, 2012 at 9:38pm

Pain and suffering is a different experience depending on how you can comprehend the experience.   I think you should watch the singer-marquis debate though.  I think you might like Singer, as he does not believe it ethical to eat animals that have developed self-awareness, though he is an advocate for infanticide.

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Permalink Reply by John Kelly on April 12, 2012 at 2:08am

I am having trouble getting it to play on the web.  http://hulk03.princeton.edu:8080/WebMedia/lectures/20060329marquis-...   

Eventually I loaded it in windows media player, and media player classic by opening a url.  In media player classic you can select: open file, and then paste the url in.

but in Windows Media Player you need to do CTRL-M.  That will open the old menu with File, ect. Then select File, Open Url.  Paste that url.

There is also a realplayer link here http://hulk03.princeton.edu:8080/WebMedia/lectures/  You have to type in a keyword like Abortion, to find it.

(This looks a lot more complicated than it is)

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Permalink Reply by kOrsan on April 12, 2012 at 10:21am

As far as I can tell you're asking if it's ethically ok to inflict pain on a fetus that can feel it, but wont remember it anyway, right?

But what about the mother? Why is the pain and suffering she will be inflicted an entire life time by a baby she never wanted less important than the few seconds it takes to terminate a pregnancy? I don't understand why no one ever considers the women, like it's not even an issue, not even a factor.

You can talk all you want about when a fetus starts to feel, and when it should be considered life, or when it should be considered a person, or when it should have rights etc. but you always neglect the person who's already alive and already a person: the mother.

Is is not unethical inflict unnecessary pain and suffering on the woman? If she wishes to abort, and that might cause the fetus some pain for a few seconds who cares? Just because it might feel some pain we should let the woman suffer even worse? She herself is more important than a vegetative sack of cells in her womb, so I think it's more important to prevent her suffering than that of the fetus.

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Permalink Reply by Cara Coleen on April 12, 2012 at 11:09am

I don't understand then, Mikey, why we've been going in these circles if you concede the interests of the mother trumps those of the fetus. Surely you don't think we should consider the interests of mother vs fetus in every instance of pregnancy. This is the exact argument the pro choicers have been making for practically hundreds of years: it's a woman's body! I can't help but think the underlying assumption is that her interests are more weighty because she has a greater capacity for suffering than the fetus.

According to your definition, this argument should've been wrapped up long ago, with the woman the clear "winner" in our considerations. Why could we not have reached this conclusion pages and pages ago?

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Permalink Reply by Unseen on April 12, 2012 at 6:51pm

Suppose a hypothetical you, a guy from a good family who would support him no matter what, including financially, were in line for a promotion along with a young single mother from an impoverished background who was actively suffering from low income and debt which would be greatly relieved if she got the promotion. And suppose you were sure you were the better person for the job...would you hold back in some way in order to let her get the promotion in consideration of her pain and suffering? Note that since you are the better person for the job, you are actively undermining your employer if you do that.

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