2007-12-03 22:05:37 · 16 answers · asked by future_past 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
Not under the law, but many men/women have contributed so much to humanity that they will not be forgotten--and have not been forgotten--thousands of years after their deaths. There are capitalists who have made the economy grow by leaps and bounds; politicians who have contributed more to equality than others; people who discovered how to keep the rest of us alive during epidemics; people who discovered how to feed the world--it was not American wheat, as most believe, but American pork, by Armour.
"Worth" is metaphysical. Everyone is equal under the law, but that is the lowest common denominator of metaphysical worth. The highest is: what has that person done for humanity, and the answer is usually that he was true to himself and was out to accomplish his own goals.
2007-12-04 00:05:20 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's all perspective.
If someone was trying to kill you and the only way for you to live was to kill them first, you immediately make a snap judgement on who's life is worth continuing.
If someone is trying to kill your child you make a judgement that the other persons life and your own are less valuable than the childs, as you risk being killed to protect the attacker.
I think where people get caught up is, if we see a total stranger being attacked, do you risk your life to help protect them?
For me that answer is yes. I cannot sit back and allow a horrible transgression be enacted upon another, regardless of familial affiliation, when I know that there was something I could do to prevent it.
I've come to grips with this a long time ago, and I've told my wife and daughter how I feel about it and what I would and would not do. Wwe all agree, understand, and accept the consequences of this.
2007-12-04 03:03:20 · answer #2 · answered by gryphon1911 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No I don't think so. But we adults tend to place a great value on an innocent child's life. So many men and women have given up their lives for the sake of these innocents. So many men and women have suffered great pains and afflictions to see that the safety of a child is guaranteed!
One is as valuable as the other but we ourselves will make the personal decisions on who is worth more alive than we are when the moment comes to us.
There will be moments in all our lives when we decide that " we will risk life and limb for another" whether it is a child or a lover or a stranger. We will make those decisions. But to God? we are all worth life to Him. Otherwise we wouldn't have the souls He gave us.
2007-12-03 23:31:45 · answer #3 · answered by the old dog 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
not at the start of that life no - the Renaissance thinkers were quite to reintroduce the idea that "every man is born equal", the equality of treatment should never end but birth is where the equality of value ends and the gap grows larger with every passing day until we have Jimmy Carter (valued ex-president of the US) accepting his Nobel award at the same time as a mile down the street some smackhead is foaming at the mouth trying to stab a policemen with an infected needle.
thus my answer is yes, one person can be of greater value than another.
2007-12-03 22:32:43 · answer #4 · answered by . 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
According to christians, the answer is yes. If you believe that a fetus is a life, right to lifers have made this choice in several ways.
The ones who justify death penalty cases because "that person has commited a crime, babies have not" are definitely placing more value on one life than another.
The ones who advocate killing doctors and clinic workers in their 33rd Trimester of life have definitely placed more value on one life than another.
There is no justificaiton for either position. Either you believe in Thou Shalt Not Kill or you do not. The commandment does NOT make choices. It's absolute. So if you believe in it, and it's part of your faith, you, as a human being, do not have the right to pick and choose who you can and cannot kill.
In my book? No. One life is not worth more than another. I'm not saying I'm perfect in that evaluation. But I CAN say that when I am swayed from that position, it isnt by design. Certain circumstances can make anyone question their position. But that's a far different case than taking a position that murder of one person is always justified over the murder of another.
I will duck from the slings and arrows now.
2007-12-03 22:20:52 · answer #5 · answered by Toodeemo 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Yes. Worth implies TO someone. A thing does not have intrinsic worth, it has worth TO someone. And the only people around here to appreciate other people are, well, other people. So if a person engages in destructive murderous behavior, or thieving, etc., we others would judge him to be a worthless piece of shiit, which is accurate, and so since the only people availalbe to evaluate his worth decide he is shite, then ... he is.
2007-12-04 06:23:03 · answer #6 · answered by All hat 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course. Every human being with any kind of self-worth thinks their life is more valuable than most others.
2007-12-03 22:49:13 · answer #7 · answered by Subconsciousless 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Life of a good man is worth more than the life of a bad man
2007-12-03 22:28:46 · answer #8 · answered by WWF 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
One cannot put a value on human life. Each life is precious in itself.
Hitler philosifed this question too, and put a value on human life, or should I say he did not value it at all. The results were catastrophic, and over 6 million people were tortured, gassed, and wiped out.
2007-12-03 22:27:54 · answer #9 · answered by michelebaruch 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Depends really, worth more in what sense? I think a lot of people; parents for example, would give up their own life to save their child's.
2007-12-03 22:12:24 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋