What Is A Person? What makes someone a person? Is it simply their biological makeup, or is it their ability to function? John Locke states in his Essay Concerning Human Understanding that a person is something that thinks, has rational thought, and is conscious. Various people would argue that the implications of this (i.e. killing someone who has lost such characteristics and is, therefore, no longer “human”) are inhumane, but others will argue that these ideas are just, gracious, and sound. A human being is defined in the Oxford Dictionary as “A man, woman, or child of the species Homo sapiens, distinguished from other animals by superior mental development, power of articulate speech, and upright stance.” According to that logic, one can never become inhuman, but only not as distinguished as other human beings. Aborting a child would be just as harsh of an offense as murdering a man because the child would still have all of the characteristics of a human being. In the same way, stopping treatment on a person only clinging to life by the help of machines is also murder. Some philosophers and most of society would subject to this reasoning that focuses on the biological aspect of human beings and highly values human life. Philosopher Peter Singer takes the other side of the argument. He says in an …show more content…
Peter Singer’s side is trying to eliminate the suffering of a child and their parents or an elder and their children by cutting their life short of the future suffering. The equality side is aiming to reduce suffering by eliminating the killing of a living creature. The biological side also points out that by valuing one life over another, we are creating suffering ultimately by favoring a particular group over another. In response, Singer’s side explains that there is in fact a choice left to the guardian of the disabled person, that it is not forced on them to kill their family
To describe Peter Singer’s main argument for why we have an obligation to help people in need, I will
...t it is immoral. I also see that it may not be immoral for a woman to abort if she has made the most effort to avoid pregnancy using contraceptives. However, as Thompson states, I think in this situation a mother “ought” not to have an abortion. A fetus should have the right to life, however the mother should also have the right to determine how to use her own body. So I too find it difficult to determine a solid stance on this issue. I’ve always believe that a fetus is a person, but I’ve also always struggled to discern when it is that the fetus becomes a person. Regardless of whatever science can prove or not regarding when a fetus is a person or however much argumentation is done regarding the permissibility of abortion, this topic will forever be surrounded by debate. I don’t believe there will ever a unanimous opinion on whether or not abortion is moral.
Peter Singer organizes his arguments into an outline form allowing a reader to take individual thoughts, adding them together giving a “big picture.” Within the first few pages, Singer shares two guiding assumptions in regards to his argument to which I stated above. The first assumption states “that suffering and death from lack of food, shelter and medical care are bad” (231). Singer steps away from the typical writing style; he states the assumption yet he does not give a personal comment in regards to the assumption. He chooses to do so because the assumption itself is surely uncontroversial; most people would agree, but to those who don’t agree, there are so many possibilities at which to arrive to this assumption that, after all, if they don’t yet comprehend its truth, it would be hard to convince them of its accuracy. Speaking for myself, if I encountered an individual that does not agree to the assumption that death by avoidable causes is bad; I would not hesitate to declare them of being heartless. There are many cases, whether across oceans on foreign land or areas to which we live, where people are dying because of inescapable, unfortunate reasons. Within such cases, even a possible little voice in the back of the head can lead one to wonder who has the responsibility of helping those who are enduring such unnecessary deaths. This sense of wonder leads us to Singer’s second assumption; “if it is in our power to prevent something from happening, without thereby sacrificing anything of comparable moral importance, we ought, morally, to do it” (231). To better clarify what this assumption is looking for, Singer points out that “It requires u...
Each person has a different definition for what being human really stands for. To some, giving to others in a merciless way could constitute being human. In Orwell’s novel, his protagonist Winston would consider being human as the ability of a person to think and act freely. That is what Winston was trying to hold on to throughout the novel; his ability to stay human. With the government controlling every single aspect in the lives of their people, the ability to think and act freely was very hard to maintain. If one does not have the capability of controlling what they think, do, or even what they say then, according to Orwell, they cannot possibly remain “human”. In 1984 Orwell says, “’Who controls the past,’ ran the Party slogan, ‘controls the future; who controls the present controls the past.’” (Orwell. PG 34). This is a significant quote that can be used to support the claim that being human is related to one’s ability to
While if a cow is killed at thirty months, it is not more tragic than to be killed at forty, fifty, or sixty months, no one will say a thing. This prime example that humans are thought to be more superior, they think nothing of the cow and how he suffers. So Singer rephrases his argument to compare a human with low cognitive ability and a cow, they both do not have plans for the future, so the new argument would be the difference between killing a human and a human with severe mental retardation. This although may raise a lot of controversy, but it is the say as the humans and nonhuman. Singer also says the capability to suffer is a big aspect of life. Every living animal has the ability to suffer, meaning humans and nonhumans are very similar. Whether it is a human or a nonhuman, when they lose someone close to them, you see a change in their
The definition of a person is an aspect of the abortion issue which raises some very difficult questions. Is an unborn baby a person? When does the unborn baby become a person? This is a difficult question because in order for one to answer it, he must define the essence of a person. When describing the essence of something, one needs to describe the necessary and sufficient conditions of that thing. So how does one define the essence of a person? Kant describes a person as a rational being. Some people define the essence of a person from more of a biological standpoint. Nevertheless, defining the essence of a person is a very difficult thing for a group of people to agree on. One’s own definition of a person would most likely greatly impact his opinion on whether abortion is morally justified ...
Within the guidelines of utilitarianism, Singer’s approach appears to harmonize, as he believed the goal in life should be to attain happiness and when the desirable level is reached, one should pay it forward. However, to the dismay of many, he believed that one born to pain and suffrage could not reach such pleasure therefore, had nothing to contribute to the environment and hence, such a life need not be continued and such a life furthered, would only be a strain on happiness. Singer’s judgement on moral behavior was that bringing pain into the world would only consume positive energy and could not further the benefits of happiness as, it is absent. In thinking that one’s existence should benefit environmental ethics as a whole or to those who need it most, Singer has said, “It is not enough that an environmental policy conform to the principles of some or other environmental ethic, it should conform to the correct, or best justified, one.” (p.285) Singer is also inclusive to animals within his statement as he considered animals just as equal in nature as humans. Essentially, he had a vision of animals being free from cruelties and exploitations such as factory farming. Extending happiness, to him, was meant only for people and creatures that could share it and, in accordance to his philosophy, deserved it in efforts to amplify well-being. Singer’s morally confusing ethics have added a unique wing in the developments of environmental ethics that, if anything, indulge in daring thoughts and help refine the purpose of
The baby in the womb can feel pain around 16 weeks into the pregnancy. To begin, a woman can “ have a surgical abortion...up to 22 weeks” (...). By this time the baby can already feel pain, and has a heartbeat at 5 weeks, the baby is a human once the egg connects to the sperm. The baby is not just a simple organism anymore, the baby has a heartbeat and is practicing breathing. Abortion is the same as murder, just because the child can stop it or have anything to say about it doesn 't change what it is. Just because the baby cannot live on it’s own does not mean the baby is not living. The baby may not be able to function on its own, but it is already developing. For instance, at three months the baby’s “unique fingerprints are now in place” (...). The baby is developing bone structure and even fingerprints. The baby is quickly developing a self identity, the baby is a growing human being just like us. There are other options for the mother if she cannot take care of the child. For instance, in the united states alone “Infertility affects approximately 6.7 million women in the United States” (...). If every baby that was aborted was given up for adoption instead, a woman could have a child to care for and love unconditionally. This way the baby at least gets a chance to live its life rather than having it taken so early. It is illegal
The criterion for personhood is widely accepted to consist of consciousness (ability to feel pain), reasoning, self-motivation, communication and self-awareness. When Mary Anne Warren states her ideas on this topic she says that it is not imperative that a person meet all of these requirements, the first two would be sufficient. We can be led to believe then that not all human beings will be considered persons. When we apply this criterion to the human beings around us, it’s obvious that most of us are part of the moral community. Although when this criterion is applied to fetuses, they are merely genetic human beings. Fetuses, because they are genetically human, are not included in the moral community and therefore it is not necessary to treat them as if they have moral rights. (Disputed Moral Issues, p.187). This idea is true because being in the moral community goes hand in hand w...
Warren insists that the “moral” sense of human and “genetic” sense of human must be kept separate in this observation. As she defines the two, she goes on to say that the confusion of the two: “results in a slide of meaning, which serves to conceal the fallaciousness of the traditional argument that since (1) it is wrong to kill innocent human beings, and (2) fetuses are innocent human beings, then (3) it is wrong to kill fetuses. For if `human' is used in the same sense in both (1) and (2) then, whichever of the two senses is meant, one of these premises is question begging. And if it is used in two different senses then of course the conclusion doesn't follow”(Warren 434). With this she concludes that a human being is one that is a fully active participant in society. In the moral commun...
Foot believes that a system of routine euthanasia could potentially lead to widespread abuse and injustice, and the perversion of the idea that an act of euthanasia is for the benefit of the one suffering, and may be instead performed as an act to reduce any potential societal burden (Foot 109). She showcases an example of one such abuse in the case of infants with Down’s syndrome born with intestinal blockage not being operated on, despite the fact that with this procedure children with Down’s syndrome can live a relatively normal life with a decent standard of “goods” (Foot 109). She also fears that those who are dependent upon others would begin to see themselves as burdens on their families and would desire to be dead rather than continue to inconvenience others. She writes: “Many people want, and want very badly, to be rid of their elderly relatives and even of their ailing husbands or wives.” (Foot 111). She believes that it would be incredibly difficult to devise proper legal safeguards against this kind of abuse and so it is better to allow but not encourage some forms of euthanasia, so as to prevent the formation of complacency to it within
Singer makes a three-part argument for why “All Animals Are Equal”, or at the very least should be granted equal consideration. Firstly, he argues that, assuming all humans are awarded equal rights, there is no single characteristic apart from being human that grants them such rights. Secondly, he argues that awarding rights by virtue of humanity is arbitrary and speciesist. Lastly, he argues that sentience is the only characteristic that should be considered in terms of granting animal rights. This leads him to the conclusion that “if a being suffers, there can be no moral justification for refusing to take that suffering into consideration… The principle of equality requires that its suffering be counted equally with the like suffering – insofar as rough comparisons can be made – of any other being”.
For example, a mother who opts to abort lives a life full of misery and guilt following her unethical action. The same issue is explored by Kant, where he argues that frequent abortions would make the human race extinct. Therefore, not irrational or good to the society. Lastly, they argue that abortion denies the fetus the right to life which is granted by the Human Rights Commission. Judith Thomson argument that a human embryo is a person indicates that he or she has the right to life, and no one has a right to terminate it (Baird & Stuart, 78). Therefore, abortion is unacceptable, irrational and immoral action to
What does it mean to be human? Sure, one must have the usual physical features such as fingers, eyes, arms, hands, feet, etc., but what does it really mean? Must the human be able to speak? To take upon the actions of themselves? Whatever it means, it can be interpreted in any way from anyone. The physical attributes of any human can be compared to those of our evolutionary ancestors. However, it is possible to believe that there are many characteristics that make a human, but only six define the true, ideal human.
In session one of this class one of the things that was discussed in our reading material in "The Bedford Guide for College Readers" was writing an opening. The Bedford Guide suggests to "Begin with a story" it advises that "Often a simple anecdote can capture your readers’ interest and thus serve as a good beginning" (2011 pg 429). The story of Aaron is very powerful; as a parent it tugs on my heartstrings and immediately drew me into the rest of the story.