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This is something that I have seen come up in discussion a few times (especially back when I used to hang out at archaeological and anthropological dig sites, when I was in my teens). The argument presented was that we should go straight Darwinist - we should follow "pure" evolution instead of fighting it.
I'm not sure how much evolutionary pressure humans are under anymore. We do lose a lot of people to malnutrition and various water-born diseases, but only because we're too lazy to go out and prevent it. We know hoiw to, after all. Meanwhile, we have very nearly subjogated our everyday environment and reduced a once impressive array of predators down to what, a few obscure viruses? Meanwhile, we have healthy people reproducing. We have sick people reproducing. We have signficantly handicapped people reproducing. Heck, we have dead people reproducing here. I wonder if the specieas hasn't become evolutionarily stagnant...
If only God has the power of life and death, He often doesn't use it very well. I sometimes hear that observably pointless and tragic deaths, for instance, are all somehow part of His.....Mysterious Plan. If that's the case, then He isn't very good at planning either.
All in all, it seems to me that just plain people have a lot more responsibility for life and death than God does...anybody's God.
This is a discussion about euthanasia. If you want to talk about God, then go to the religion forum. Unless it's in the context of euthansia, it is not welcome.
First you have to define human nature before you can say something violates it. One animal eats another...has not the animal's free will been violated? That is the law of nature.
Can other animals besides us reason as we do? Do they have consciences?
But, then you didn't answer my other question, which is: why do we put so much effort in preserving the lives of such undesirables? If it's natural selection you want, then why not let them be eradicated naturally?
Perhaps basic human nature, such as caring for the elderly, the mentally retarded, the homeless, etc is a legitimate part of mankind´s evolution. By creating a system of laws, religion, and general order, humanity has formed numerous civilizations that have kept humanity in line and also allowed it to become the dominant form of life on this planet. Particularly law and religion have helped to bring about this type of behavior that has been bred into humanity for years, which is to preserve life. Obviously, there have been exceptions to this pattern of thought. (Nazi Germany, Gengis Khan´s empire, the slaughter of the Native Americans, and many others.) However, when the world at large bears witness to nations or people responsible for this type of ruthless disregard for life, usually those nations or people are removed from their positions of power by force, or at the very least they are judged forever as histories greatest criminals. This shows me that nearly all of the human race values life, any life, over the possibility of creating a geneticly ¨perfect¨ and likely uncaring human species. Perhaps in conclusion, it is you and the thankfully few of us like you that will disappear as the rest of humanity continues to evolve in its own imperfect way.
Can other animals besides us reason as we do? Do they have consciences?
If reasoning has to do with the issue, then certainly you must be in favor of euthanizing the profoundly or severely mentally retarded? As for animal consciences...I'm quite sure that animals have the ability to perceive as we do (not to the same level, but again if we're talking about intellectual hierarchies then I think you're supporting my point)--even dolphins can examine themselves in the mirror.
Old people use up more of our money than they contribute...therefore, there net worth is negative and they are a burden on society.
its not your money its their money.
when they were cops teachers and social workers and dealt with your dirt laundry you were ok with that but now that its time to pay them (retirement is part of their pay) you dont want to pay. how strange. as far as i am concerned anybody in those professions whatever they get for dealing with our ugly, its not enough.
This is a discussion about euthanasia. If you want to talk about God, then go to the religion forum. Unless it's in the context of euthansia, it is not welcome.
Just doing a little heavy lifting for you. If one can posit God, and then posit that the power of life and death is held by God, then nobody's ideas about euthanasia are going to amount to a hill of beans. It is only within the realm where humans have everyday control over life and death that the concept of euthanasia can carry any meaning at all...
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