(December 11, 2017 at 6:41 pm)Transcended Dimensions Wrote: If we are just biological machines living this one and only life, then we instead have every reason to treat our family and other people in this world as insignificant, materialistic things such as a shaver, book, bike, computer, etc.
Though I disagree with their conclusions, some fairly intelligent people have asked this question (Tolstoy and Kierkegaard to name two). But the way you've framed the question makes it easy to answer. IFF something's inherent value can be boiled down to it's utility (ie. the mother of an infant is a milk machine and cuddler) then one ought to treat one's friends and family as material things. It's pretty subjective, but one case that immediately springs to mind is my deceased grandmother. She did many things for me through the course of my life, but near the end she lost all capability to do anything for anybody. But I still cherished every moment I had with her knowing that (while she was to weak to reply to anything I said) she could still understand my words and feel my embrace. No afterlife or anything needed. My grandmother possessed a value that extended beyond her utility.
