Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: TimF who wrote (80513)	3/9/2004 4:20:46 PM
From: Solon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 82486

"Ahead of? No I don't think so." Your response suggests to me that you might value a human zygote EQUALLY with an alien "with a refined intellect and a consciousness characterized by both reason and compassion?". I would like to know if that is the case. Of course, I recognize your right to keep your opinion private... "There is a big difference between something that is a human and something that could potentially be transformed in to one." Well, certainly. There is also a big difference between an apple and a pear, and between a zygote and a little girl playing the violin. A sperm is one step removed from a zygote. It has no consciousness--just as an egg has no consciousness. However it has a human configuration (although missing what will fulfill it). Every sperm is a potential human. Masturbation destroys million of potential humans. A sperm intentionally being sent into a woman is more potentially an independent being than is a zygote in a woman with terminal pancreatic cancer. A zygote and a sperm are both potential conscious beings. The sperm needs to add on more than the zygote before it can have consciousness. But they both need to add on a great deal. "In this case the child in an irreversible coma hasn't had much of a chance to experience life but he or she will never get that chance whether or not you save that child. If I knew the child in the coma would soon come out of the coma that child's lack of consciousness at the moment would be "only of peripheral concern or moment", but your scenario specified a coma that is irreversible or at least believed to be irreversible." Clearly, you consider the potential for consciousness and experience as factors in your process of evaluation. So the point is not that they have human DNA but that they should have a chance to "experience life" if they have that potential?? So if an alien with reason and compassion is in a fire with a human who is irrational and cruel and mean-spirited--who would you save if you could save only one? I assume you would save at least one of them if you were able to do so without risk of life?