Re: Logic makes a comeback: morality and materialism

Russell Stewart (diamond@rt66.com)
Tue, 03 Jun 1997 08:57:27 -0600

At 06:42 PM 6/2/97 EDT, Jim Bell wrote:
>>More
>>unborn American children have been murdered since Roe v. Wade, than Jews
>>were exterminated in WW2. It's just another illustration of how a
>>materialist view of humanity leads inexorably to a cheapened value of human
>>life.
>
>RS <<At what point does consciousness begin in a human?>>
>
>That's the wrong question. The real question is, "At what point does a human
>life have enough 'value' to entitle it to protection from willful
>termination?"

Well, OK, that's basically what I meant.

>Now, here Russell's materialist presupposition comes home to roost. For the
>materialist has no standard to answer this question. He can go around and
>around with his fellows and they'll never be able to prove anything.

Not exactly. The real question is, when does the central nervous system (i.e.,
the brain) become well-developed enough to hold consciousness? Of course, we
can't answer that question now. We may not be able to for a long time. But we
are understanding the brain more and more with each passing year, so I think
an answer will be found sooner or later.

>But the theist has no problem. The answer can be found in the sacred book, and
>the answer is that the life has value in God's sight EVEN BEFORE conception!

So then, according to scripture, birth control is murder?

>Thus, one system fails, the other does not, in providing an answer to the
>proper question.

Of course, it doesn't matter whether the answer makes sense. The important
thing is that you *always have one*. Never admit to not knowing the truth.

>>The old and sick appear to be next; indeed, in the Netherlands, it
>>has already begun.
>
>RS <If you're referring to euthanasia, then please explain to me why it is
>more moral to force a terminally ill person to suffer a long, horribly
>painful death rather than giving them a peaceful one.>
>
>This "no hope" situation you describe is the easy case. No extraordinary means
>to prolong DEATH are called for.

But to deny a person the right to euthanasia *is* to prolong their death.

>But now let's ask you to further define your moral parameters under a
>materialist ethics. At what point (if any) would you disallow the deliberate
>inducement of death?

It's certainly not an easy issue. I would have to think about that for a while.

_____________________________________________________________
| Russell Stewart |
| http://www.rt66.com/diamond/ |
|_____________________________________________________________|
| Albuquerque, New Mexico | diamond@rt66.com |
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2 + 2 = 5, for very large values of 2.