The idea that humans are to be considered special is more vulnerable than you would think

[The_Reginator]

Wesley J. Smith:
Preserving Human Exceptionalism Necessary to Preserving Humanity

Margaret Somerville, the splendid Canadian bioethicist, has a good (and needed) column out defending human exceptionalism.

Mr. Smith is referring to an excellent piece in the Ottawa Citizen:
Preserving humanity

From Ms. Somerville’s opinion piece:

Although I will frame this discussion in a very limited context of whether humans merit greater respect than animals and robots, it should be kept in mind that not seeing human beings and human life as deserving “special respect” would have very broad and serious impact far outside this context. It could affect matters that range from respect for human rights, to justifications for armed conflict, how we treat prisoners, how we run our health-care and aged persons’ care systems, the ethical and legal tones of our societies, and so on.

Read more: ottawacitizen.com/Preserving+humanity/3415852/story.html#ixzz0xa2eZTU9

But some people depend on their simple human logic. They sometimes become professors of philosophy and feel almost offended by the idea that only a human being can constitute a person.
One Mark Mercer rebutted with In defence of the world’s most dangerous idea
He is willing to go as far as to say

Not all humans are persons (no humans are persons all their lives, for we all begin as embryos), and, perhaps, some non-humans are persons.

and

The thought that an anencephalic infant is in essence a rational animal possessing dignity in virtue of her being human is simply mystifying.

(I considered a letter to the editor, but I usually find it frustrating to argue with educated, atheistic humanists.
Without God we are truly lost.)

 

[colmcille1]

A very good but alarming post, Reginator.
It is my contention that Western man’s ego has been so lauded, cosseted, indulged to distraction that he has lost sight of life’s true value. He has arrogantly placed himself at the centre of the universe not realizing the folly of such an “action”.
But I am not in despair. Far from it. When I read this good bioethicist’s piece and the excellent posts on this site I am reminded how God’s Love is steadily worked out by good people everywhere.
God Bless,
Colmcille1.

 

[Mark77]

**Pray for Mr. Mercer & all those sad people who use convoluted logic to argue against the value of human life!

The Catholic Church has it right again! All life, from conception to natural death, is to be valued!**

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, Ora pro Nobis Peccatoribus!

mark