The value of a human life (and why abortion, economics, pulling the plug and triage)

[The Omnissiunt One]

[quote='Synackaon' pid='75777' dateline='1277031323']Lot of stuff.

I'm going to copy my theory on how to treat abortion here

Ah the differences between "sentient,sapient" and "sentient,non-sapient" life how interesting, all-or-most animals are sentient, humans are the only sapient being, with a few claims that cetaceans might be sapient, and some of hose arguments hold ground.

So I'm going to comment that all sapient being should be respected as equals to humans(even if other examples are doubt, might as well say preparing for the future yes), sentient beings should be respected as being with emotions but not on the equal round as sapient beings, means that we can hunt and breed them for feeding, this only because it's necessary, with the ability to make meat in laboratory in the future(very-near future), this might kill the necessity to hunt and fish.
I said this to blow the argument that we are hypocrites for killing cows for food and not fetus and babies.

Now I'll explain my argument about abortion.

The fetus is a parasite if unwanted, i mean unwanted as in after serious ponderation, not some state-of-shock claims, a fetus is the beginning of a human being but is not a human being, some people might argue that we should kill the baby no matter what after it has been killed, others say that we should never touch a fetus, as it is a human being, and both claim there isn't a drawn line when it's human or not, or define lines by the wrong parameter(when the heart starts beating),I AGREE WITH NEITHER, there is in fact a clear line when a baby can be judged as a human or not, it's called the brain and when the first electric reactions start in it, this makes it a sapient being that should be respected, in two exceptions, the baby is going to have a serious disease or cripple that the parents can't deal with, and the mother is in danger, that is my opinion on abortion.

For someone else that doesn't know:
-Sentient-the ability to feel or perceive pain and pleasure.
-Sapient-the ability to think abstractly or have "Wisdom"

It is far from necessary at the moment to hunt and fish for food. I manage on a pescetarian diet, and could do so on a vegan diet, with relatively minor consequences for myself. That doesn't mean I think killing cows is necessarily wrong -mainly I'm opposed to the suffering in the meat industry- but, nonetheless, in the West at least, necessity can no longer be used to defend eating meat.

As for abortion, it seems dubious that the baby is capable of abstract thought as soon as its brain starts functioning. Quite what the moral relevance of abstract thought is, I'm not sure, but a baby probably doesn't have that until much later on, probably until after it's born.

I don't know exactly the differences between america and europe in terms of animal slaughter and raising, i think here in europe things are far more humane in that and american super-cow meat is forbidden here(no wonder), eating flesh and fish is a necessity, no matter what vegans say not eating meat/fish is far more dangerous to a persons health than eating it, of course in the very very (very!)near future all or most meat will be grown in laboratory, science is awesome in regards to this, i heard they only had problems in regard to the texture of the meat.

Being British, I'm a European too, and, whilst I think our farming practices are better than the Americans', they're far from perfect in my view. As for the health risks, what you say runs contrary to most health organisations: 'The American Dietetic Association annually publishes its position on vegan and vegetarian diets:

"[A]ppropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes.[6]
In 2003, the Dietitians of Canada joined with the ADA to release a position paper to the same effect.[85] Similarly, the British Nutrition Foundation considers "well balanced" vegetarian diets to be nutritionally adequate,[86] and the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute considers "well planned" vegetarian diets to be "nutritionally balanced for both adults and children." '

I'm not saying that the baby is capable of abstract thought when he's brain start functioning, i'm saying that the baby should be respected as a sentient and sapient being(the last one due to heritage) when he's brain starts functioning when he can feel pain and pleasure as a sentient being, and because the brain is what define being human(despise Christianbeliefs that the heart is what make a human human), the grey matter is what matters.

The brain isn't what defines being human. Many animals have one, even if ours has a larger cerebral cortex. Even a more advanced foetus is less intellectually developed than higher animals like chimps, dolphins, whales and pigs, so I don't see why being human should be the criterion for value of life.