Posted on 06/09/2004 6:27:12 PM PDT by Not gonna take it anymore
...which I have on a T-shirt, of course. :o)
AR, I answered that question with the two that followed:
""What has been condemned as evil in the past when it comes to the destruction of any human life? How does society look on prior cases of any discrimination between the human rights of one human being and another?""
Society has at least nominally supported the non-maleficense principle of medical and social ethics/justice for over 2500 years. First, do no harm. If there is doubt as to personhood, give the human being the benefit of the doubt in protection from aggression by another. Increase, do not decrease the classes of humans that are considered persons, etc.
Look back at history. Contrast those societies which have a limited classification of "Person" and those with more wide spread protections for human life, liberty and property.
Which societies are healthier, more productive, and which are thought of as "good" by those societies that surround and follow them?
How ought we to live to increase the good in our society and the approval of those who follow us?
AR, your problem is with the understanding of the definition of "capacity," and, as LB has said, with the idea that it is necessary for the person to act, or function, at a given level at all or any given moment(s).
Not every member of the species must demonstrate all the qualities of all the members of the species in order to be classified as a member of the species.
Aristotle discussed the "nature" and "power" of beings over 2000 years ago. This is not new philosophy, nor is it solely Judeo-Christian or American philosophy.
Again, your problem is with definitions.
"Potential" is not "capacity."
***why don't we invest our money in research that not only respects all human life, but offers a real remedy right now to many diseases?***
Because research using adult stem cells would involve pesky things like finding volunteers, signing consent forms, medicine (costing money) to harvest the stem cells, etc.
When killing an unborn baby, researchers don't have to deal with any of that.
BTW, if harvesting my stem cells offered a real chance at finding a cure, I would happily volunteer to share.
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