The most salient one is the question of whether a fetus is a person or not. As I've struggled to understand the person side, I've found two potential justifications. One, of course, is religion, all of which I reject out of hand as outmoded superstition. The other is sentimentality, which has some resonance with me, but not enough resonance to counterbalance all the arguments on the other side.
Even when we are talking about an fertilized egg then we are talking about something which is obviously alive. Is human (it isn't a pig or a cat or a flower) and is a thing distinict from its parents. Also it is something that given the correct environment will normally continually develop in to a baby then a child then an adult. Some people would say this is just potential, but if you want to call it that then I would say the potential is what makes a human life a person. If someone was frozen in cryogenically storage they might not be able to think either but they are a still a distinct creature and they will be able to think in the future (if we had the technology to revive them without killing them).
The second difference is life at all costs vs. quality of life. Best I can tell, the argument here is about control: who makes the decisions. Do we choose for ourselves or let nature take it's course? Those in the latter camp would mix this question with the first difference--whether a fetus is a person--but I think they're sufficiently distinct areas of inquiry since those who are latter camp seem to have the same perspective about individuals making their own life or death choices, as well.
I think we should let people make their own decisions about their own life or death. The one thing I am concerned with is that many people briefly desire death during an emotionally turbulant time but then if they try suicide they are later glad that some one prevented it. On issues short of suicide I think people (atleast adults) should be able to take risks with thier own lives if they choose to as long as they are not putting others in danger. I am against laws mandateing the use of deatbelts (even though I always use one), or requireing helmets on mortorcycles.
The third arm of the chasm is about the carrying capacity of Earth.
I suspect that this is an area where we disagree about what we see as the facts of the issue as much or more then we disagree on the implications of those facts.
There also seems to be an large element of human-centrism, which may be based in religion-based dominance of humans, a different appreciation of the environment, or simply selfishness. While I can understand the point of view of those who think that the world is not becoming overpopulated, I can't for the life of me figure out why anyone would find it desirable to have a larger population. I see no advantage in that at all.
If holding that humans are more important then say catfish is human-centrism then feel free to call me human-centric. Some would even call me "specieist". (Would it be sexist or racist to talk about differences in the inteligence and abilities between the sexes or different races if these difference where real and profound?). To the extent that I support environmentalist ideas it is mostly because of the impact that a poor environment would have on people.
The only reason I can think of to see a larger population for the world as an advantage is that all else being equal a larger population would come up with more new ideas. Technology (and perhaps other things) could develop faster. There would be more people able to think about how to deal with particular problems and an even greater amount of specilization would be possible resulting in more productivity and more oportunity for very specific interests or talents. Of course the problem is "all else" is not always equal. Rapid growth puts a stress on society, the economy, and the environment.
(I subscribe to the school of thought that if you haven't written it down, you haven't thought it through.)
I don't think I agree with that school of thought, but it is true that writing your thoughts down can help clarify your ideas (as well as leave some record of them).
Tim |
